Schnee Love
by Ferris Iscariot
Summary: Winter Schnee and her bodyguard/secret boyfriend (which all the tabloids suspect but can't prove) land in Vale in time for the festival! At the same time, Weiss has to grapple with some of her own love problems. With her big sister in town, will Weiss turn to her for advice? Rated T at the moment, but it may go up later! This is not a dark fic, don't worry.
1. Hello Vytal!

"We are now approaching the Vytal Airship Port and will be on the ground in five minutes. Please prepare for landing Ms. Schnee." The captain's voice echoed through the small cabin of the private airship.

Winter Schnee looked out of the airship window. The city of Vytal stretched out below her, a beautiful hodge-podge of buildings and roads. In the distance, she could see Beacon Academy glistening, a light in the rapidly waning sunlight.

"Looking at Beacon?" A gruff voice asked. Seated opposite her was Colonel Cassian Gray, her personal bodyguard and more-than-friend. Exactly how much more...well that was between the two of them. "Perhaps you'll finally get around to seeing your sister this time."

"I don't know if I'll be seeing her this time either Cassian." Winter replied. Her sister, four years her junior, had refused to complete her education in Atlas. In a rebellious move, Weiss had chosen to go to Beacon and become a Huntress, instead of going through Atlas' Military Academy like Winter did. "My father...prefers that I keep my distance from her."

"Hmmph." Cassian's way of showing his disapproval without voicing it. Another of his traits that Winter found both annoying and endearing at the same time. "Well, you're the boss."

The rest of the descent passed in silence, with both Cassian and Winter choosing to silently enjoy each others company. As the airship passed through a few clouds, the landing bay came into view.

"Tch." Winter clicked her tongue in annoyance. She could see paparazzi mulling around the airship terminal. "Don't they have anything better to do?"

"I would imagine anything involving the Schnee family tends to take precedence over everything else." Cassian slid a pair of shades over his eyes, completing his bodyguard look. "Plus, you're the eldest daughter of the Schnee family."

"You mean the eldest daughter who isn't inheriting the company and is rumored to be dating her bodyguard." Cassian's face was stoic, but Winter knew he had winced behind the sunglasses. She immediately regretted saying anything.

"Well…" Cassian scratched his chin, trying to appear unaffected by Winter's harsh comment. "We both know these things tend to be over dramatised in the press…"

"Cassian please. We both know exactly why this is happening." Winter laced her fingers around Cassian's. A show of affection she reserved only for times like this, away from the public eye. "And I don't regret it for a moment. But remember, our relationship is a secret. That's the agreement I had with my father. Let them speculate, let them write their stories, but never give them the truth."

Cassian looked at his lover in the eye, a lover who he would never embrace in public. He could see the love in her eyes, the smile that she reserved only for her beloved.

Regardless of what Winter said, it made Cassian feel like shit knowing that he was the reason that this beautiful girl had given up everything.

He loved her deeply, but he wasn't sure if that truly made up for everything she had lost in order to love him back.

A gentle rocking told the two of them that they had landed. Winter immediately unlaced her fingers from his, her smile switching to a frown. "Let's go Colonel." Winter muttered, her voice devoid of any of the intimacy or emotion she had just showed him. She quickly stood up and walked towards the door.

It always unnerved Cassian at how fast she could change from private Winter to public Winter. Wondering once more how he had ended up with such a troublesome and perfect girlfriend, Cassian re-attached his weapon to his back and grabbed both of their bags.

He had a role to play after all, and he'd be damned if he fucked it up.

* * *

The moment Cassian stepped out from the airship, cameras begun to flash.

Underneath his shades, Cassian rolled his eyes. Even though Winter was a good five meters in front of him and acting as if he wasn't even there, Cassian was sure the picture of him walking behind her and carrying her bags would have the words _Secret boyfriend?!, The Schnee's gentleman_ and the like plastered all over them in tomorrow's magazines.

Even the more respected newspapers would probably have an article or two dedicated to discussing the supposed connection between him and Winter not inheriting the Schnee Empire. Cassian remembered when the first few magazines started covering their "supposed" relationship, about six months after they had started dating.

 _Cassian was seated in his hotel room cleaning his weapon when Winter burst in through their connecting door. She was dressed in a white nightie, which did nothing to cover up her...assets. Her white hair, normally done up in a bun, had been let loose and was flowing down past her shoulders. Her face, normally calm and composed, was flustered and flushed._

 _"L-look!" Winter stuttered, brandishing a magazine page. This caught Cassian's attention. Winter had never in all their years of knowing each other, stuttered before._

 _"What is it Winter?" Cassian asked, referring to Winter by her first name. Something he only did in private. "Did the tabloids take candid shots of your butt when you were walking up the stairs again?"_

 _"N-no you fool!" Winter flushed even more at the reminder. The Schnee lawyers had had a field day with that one. "Look!"_

 _Cassian glanced at the magazine cover. He recognised it as being one of the more gaudy tabloids in circulation._

 _"Winter, why are you reading this? I thought you said this stuff isn't even worth the paper it's printed on."_

 _"I-I read these sometimes to relax alright!" Winter shot back defensively. "But that's not important right now! What's important is this!" Winter held the page right in front of Cassian's face._

 _Cassian peered at the two-page spread. It was a blown-up photo of Winter walking down the street. He was walking beside her and holding her shopping bags. Winter's head was thrown back in laughter, probably laughing at a joke Cassian had made._

 _Cassian could tell the photo was taken from a long distance away and probably with a scroll, judging from the quality._

 _"So?" Cassian looked at Winter. "I don't see-"_

 _"Read the article you poop!"_

 _Cassian skimmed over the article, inwardly wincing at the overuses of adjectives (Cassian wasn't even sure if some of them were actual words) such as 'fantabulos' and 'love-spiring'. "Wow this writing is horrible-"_

 _"Ugh!" Winter smacked Cassian with the magazine. "Do you not realise what they're saying about us?"_

 _"Yeah, so?" Winter's face flushed deeper, but in anger this time._

 _"It's meant to be a secret!" Winter hissed. "How did they manage to find out we're dating!?" Winter's eyes looked around wildly, as if expecting paparazzi to burst in an any minute._

 _"Um, they didn't." Sometimes Cassian forgot just how sheltered Winter's upbringing was. "This is a tabloid Winter. Their job is to sensationalise stories and post allegations." Cassian held up the now-crumpled picture of the two of them. "If these were two regular people, this picture be interpreted as being particularly romantic. But since you're a Schnee, suddenly anytime you're seen near someone of the opposite gender they'll immediately assume there is a romantic connection. I mean, remember when they thought you and Duncan were flirting?"_

 _Winter visibly shuddered at the memory, causing Cassian to burst out laughing. After a few seconds, Winter covered her face with her hands._

 _"B-but this time they're right." Winter's anger had disappeared, replaced with embarrassment. "We actually have a r-romantic relationship."_

 _Cassian went over and gently pulled Winter into a hug. Winter immediately relaxed, her body naturally fitting into his._

 _"Don't worry about it." Cassian softly whispered, playing with Winter's hair. "Like any tabloid story, this will all blow over in a couple of weeks."_

Cassian resisted the urge to laugh darkly. How wrong he had been about that. They'd been dating for over a year, and the tabloids were still going strong. In fact, arguably their supposed relationship was getting even more coverage than before, with every news outlet under the sun trying to cash in on this story.

It didn't help that Winter's younger sister Weiss had been named heir in a public ceremony just three weeks after the story first surfaced. Cassian wondered if the Schnee patriarch had done this on purpose, in order to make his daughter's life more difficult. Cassian wouldn't be surprised.

"Colonel Gray! Colonel Gray!" A Faunus news lady called Cassian's name, shaking him out of his daze. Cassian glanced at the news lady, his eyes widening in horror as he took in her outfit.

While Winter's usual outfit was by no means unflattering (judging by the number of fashion magazines covering her style, almost always with the word sexy in the title.), the news lady was showing more skin than she was covering.

Cassian resisted the urge to comment as he took in her exposed bosom, her long legs, her form hugging shirt...

"Colonel Gray?" The news lady smirked, noticing Cassian's attention on her. "How do you respond to the allegations of Winter Schnee being pregnant with your child?"

That was a new one. Cassian had to admit, he was impressed by the news lady attempt to entrap him. Had he ignored the question or refused to answer, the she could easily spin a somewhat believable story of him being the father of Winter's child and refusing to comment.

"Well." Cassian looked around, as if making sure no one else could hear him. "Can you keep a secret, Miss-?"

"Miss Lana Caramel. Of the Daily Grimoire." Lana's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Cassian to actually answer her. "And I'll make sure to edit out anything you don't want me to say."

"Well you see…" Cassian whispered, causing Lana to lean in closer. Her mic, attached to her shirt, pulled her collar even lower, revealing a lacy white bra. "I have a condition."

"Oh my condolences!" Lana gave Cassian the worse sincere look he'd ever seen. "If I may ask what the condition is..?"

"I can't help but hate nosy reporters who write crap about my boss' life, Ms. Lana Caramel of the Daily Grimoire." Cassian hissed. Lana flinched and stepped back like she had been physically struck. "I'll make sure to pass on your details to the Schnee lawyers. I'm sure they can come up with something to sue you with if you run that story. Defamation maybe?"

"You-!" Lana's eyes flashed with anger. She was about to say something, only to find she couldn't move her throat. Her eyes bulged as she glared daggers at Cassian.

"A good day to you too, Miss Caramel." Cassian shot her a grin, before continuing his walk to the car. "Write carefully."

* * *

"What did you say to that reporter?" Winter asked. They had managed to escape the paparazzi at the airship hub, and were currently being transported via car to their hotel. The moment the door closed and the car rolled away, Winter had breathed a sigh of relief and shot Cassian a massive smile.

"Oh, you know." Cassian reclined on his seat. The car was designed so that the inhabitants could sit facing each other. "The usual. We're not dating, she isn't pregnant with my child, she'll sue you for everything you're worth."

"They thought I was pregnant!?" Winter's cheeks turned crimson and she rubbed her tummy. "Why would they think I'm pregnant!?"

"Well according to them, we've been dating for over a year."

"So?! Is it normal to get pregnant after dating for over a year? I mean, we aren't even m-m-" Winter stuttered. Cassian snorted, earning a brutal kick to his shins from Winter.

"Ow!" Cassian yelped, before turning to the driver. "Fred, Winter's being mean to meeee!"

The driver, Fred Lilac, simply smiled into the rear-view mirror. A long time employee of the Schnee family and Winter's personal driver since her youth, Fred was a both a fatherly figure and confidant to the girl. In a way, Winter and Cassian's current relationship was partly due to Fred. When Winter and Cassian used to chat amiably in the back of the car, Fred would secretly take longer routes to allow them more time to bond. When Winter realised her feelings for the boy, Fred was the one who told her to go ahead and confess. (Funnily enough, he had said the same to Cassian, who had developed feelings for Winter at approximately the same time she did for him.)

"Fred, how long until we arrive at the hotel?" Winter asked kindly, ignoring Cassian's insistence that she apologise for injuring him. She always treated Fred with a measure of respect that was noticeably absent when she spoke to her other servants.

"About fifteen minutes ma'am. Unless you'd like me to take the long route-?"

"Cassian?" Winter looked at her beloved.

"You're the bosslady-ow!" Tears sprung from Cassian's eyes as he clutched his shin. "What was that for!?"

"We're in private!" Winter hissed, annoyed. "You don't have to treat me like-like-"

"LIke my boss…?" Cassian offered. Winter nodded, obviously upset. "But you kind of are-ow!"

"I'm also your girlfriend stupid!" Winter crossed her arms. "And in private, that supersedes any other relationship we have!"

"Alright, alright." Cassian raised his hands up in mock surrender. He could tell that she was genuinely mad about this. "I won't call you boss-lady in private."

"Nor mistress, master, ma'am or any other word that indicates I'm superior to you."

"How about Princess?"

"That...I can accept."

Fred smiled as the two lovers snuggled together in the back of the car, all conflict forgotten.

Pressing a button on the steering wheel, Fred watched as a partition dropped between the lovers and him, giving them some much-coveted privacy.

Chuckling to himself, Fred turned off the highway and onto some smaller, and longer, roads.

It wasn't like they were in any particular rush.

* * *

 **After the revelation that Winter Schnee was not how I originally depicted her to be, I decided to write another fic based upon the designs officially released by Roosterteeth. I also decided not to make it some dark story like my other Winter fic. I hope you like this one and please comment what you think!**

 **Ferris**


	2. Sisters

**Wow, thanks for all the faves and follows! For some reason the words kept flowing, so this chapter is a little longer. Hopefully each chapter gets progressively longer as time goes on.**

"Hey Weiss!" Yang shouted, sliding into the seat opposite Weiss. It was breakfast time, and Team RWBY were gearing up for another day of training in preparation for the tournament. "Weiiiisy!"

"It's Weiss!" The heiress growled. She was most definitely not a morning person. "And do you have to shout so loudly when you're seated so close? I think I'm deaf from your screaming."

"Hence, I need to shout louder." Yang's proud grin at having thought of the comeback only caused Weiss to fume even more. "Anyways, did you see this?" Yang held up her scroll.

"...Vytal's Gossip Girl XOXO?" Weiss read the name of the blog out loud, before giving Yang a look of disbelief. Apparently Yang had fallen far lower then Weiss had originally thought. "You read this drivel?"

"Sometimes!" Yang replied happily, completely ignoring Weiss' glare. "But more importantly, look who was seen at Vytal Airport yesterday~"

"I swear, if this is another stupid idol group-" Weiss' eyes widened when she saw the woman on the screen. "-Winter…?"

"Yup!" Yang shouted, her eyes sparkling. "And more importantly, look who's behind her!" Yang double tapped on the slightly more blurred figure behind the older Schnee. "Cassian. Fucking. Gray. Do you know the significance of this!?"

Weiss blinked, not understanding the reason for Yang's excitement. " Cassian's her bodyguard. Of course he's behind her. That's his job."

"You don't read the tabloids do you? The two of them are dating!"

"What?" Weiss snorted. "Impossible. Cassian is Winter's servant. A Schnee would never date their employee. It isn't proper."

"Are you suuuure?"

"Of course I'm sure, I'm her sister!"

"Then why are their rumors she's pregnant with his child?"

"She's what!?" Weiss shrieked, temporarily forgetting that a) she had told Yang to stop making so much noise and b) she was in a public place surrounded by other people.

A chorus of shushes caused Weiss to turn red. Muttering an apology to the peanut gallery, Weiss turned to her blond teammate, who was silently laughing her arse off.

"She's what!?" Weiss whispered furiously. "Pregnant!?"

"Well that's the rumor." Yang scrolled through the comment section of the article. "Apparently some reporter asked Cassian if it was true and he threatened to sue her for defamation."

"That's their evidence? They're basing my sister's pregnancy on a potential lawsuit?" Weiss rolled her eyes. "Plebeians."

"What? Weiss' sister is pregnant?" Ruby's voice asked from behind Weiss. She and Blake had just arrived in time to catch the last of the conversation. "Congratulations Weiss, you're going to be an auntie!"

"What? No!" Weiss shouted in denial, causing both Blake and Ruby to flinch and step back.

"Owww, you don't have to shout so loud you know?" Ruby held her hands over her ears and winched. "I'm standing right here."

This time, Yang didn't bother trying to laugh silently.

As Yang's laughter echoed through the cafeteria, while Ruby and Blake watched on with confused expressions, Weiss used her own scroll to access the picture of her sister.

Looking at the photo more closely, Weiss realised just how long it had been since she'd last seen her sister. The Winter she remembered was a kind yet proud girl, who would climb trees and sneak out past curfew to play in the snow. Her hair was always a mess, her clothes well-kept but worn from her continuous adventuring. She was also always smiling, regardless of the situation.

The Winter Schnee in the photo was drop dead gorgeous, standing nearly six feet tall. Her white hair, a symbol of her Schnee heritage, was tied back in a bun, with a large fringe covering her right eye. A frown danced on her lips, making her look both regal and cold. Her clothing, consisting of the Schnee colors of white and blue with just a hint of red, was a perfect balance of sensual and fierce, embodying her position as head of the Schnee's Private Military Company _Pale Horse_.

Behind Winter, Weiss could see Cassian Gray, her sister's supposed boyfriend according to Yang. Weiss had met Cassian long ago, back when he first became her sister's bodyguard. At the time, Winter and Cassian had both been fourteen, while Weiss had been ten.

The Cassian back then had both tall and well built. He had had black hair, with only a few small streaks of gray. He had also been wearing a pair of prescription glasses, his chocolate brown eyes both soft and kind.

The Cassian now however, was almost unrecognisable to Weiss. Gone was his black hair, replaced instead with a light gray. He was wearing a white suit with the Schnee crest printed on his breast. Underneath, the Atlas military crest was also printed, along with the insignia of a Colonel. He wore a set of pauldrons over his suit, as well as a pair of greaves and vambraces. His hair was swept backwards, revealing his forehead and sunglasses. His mouth was a thin line, making him look both uncaring and distant.

The two of them looked like a pair of models, and the title of the article reflected it.

 _The Ice Queen and her Knight! The coolest couple arrives in Vytal!_

"Winter and Cassian." Weiss mumbled, her finger lightly brushing the photo. "You look so different now-"

"Heeeey Weiss!" Yang yelled, shaking Weiss out of her thoughts. "I have a question about your sister~"

"What is it?" Weiss shouted back. If this turned out to be a stupid question, Yang would find the business end of Myrtenaster at her throat.

"Are you and Winter really sisters?" Weiss blinked, startled at the question. The idea had never occurred to her, but now that Weiss thought about it, it could explain why Winter had not been named heiress despite being older-

"Because she's packing some serious _boing-boing_ -" Yang cupped her significant assets in her hands and jiggled them, pressing the point. "-while you seem to be seriously lacking any _boing-boing_ -"

Weiss looked down at her- _ahem_ -very modest chest area, before comparing it to Winter's- _ahem_ -much more generous chest area. Anger erased any conscious thought from Weiss' mind as she reached for Myrtenaster.

By the time Professor Goodwitch managed to reach the cafeteria, over thirty students had been incapacitated by Weiss' glyphs.

According to survivor reports, Yang had managed to escape the Schnee heiress' wrath by using her fellow students Sun and Neptune as human shields, before jumping through a window whilst shouting "You'll never take me alive!"

The current whereabouts of Weiss and Yang are unknown, but random bursts of both flame and ice were later reported to be seen in the Emerald Forest throughout day.

In other words, just another normal day at Beacon.

* * *

"Morning Winter." Cassian opened the connecting door between their two rooms. He was already fully dressed, his weapon was already strapped to his back. In his hand, he held a tablet scroll. "I've got your schedule for the day right here."

"Mgggnh." Winter groaned, her entire body smothered in pillows and blankets. Her white hair, released from its bun, covered a large portion of the king-sized bed like some sort of weird seaweed monster. "Five more minuteeeeeeees."

Cassian couldn't imagine what the tabloids would write about their celebrated Cool Beauty/Ice Queen if they saw how she was like in the privacy of her own room. Glancing around the hotel room, Cassian noted her outfit from yesterday strewn randomly across the floor, as well as her dirty underwear hanging from the bathroom door knob. If Cassian had to describe Winter's bedroom in one word, it would be...disgusting. With a sigh, Cassian walked over to Winter's bed.

"Wake up sleepy head." Cassian sat on the bed and ruffled Winter's hair, his eyes returning to his tablet. "I've got coffee and food waiting in my room. Your clothes are ironed and hung in the bathroom. And you have a morning meeting in forty minutes across the city."

"Mmmm." Winter purred, enjoying the feeling of Cassian scratching her head. "Can we just cancel the meetings and spend some time together here?" Winter peeked at Cassian through the covers, her eyes hungry for something that was obviously not breakfast. "I'm sure they'll understand."

"No can do." Cassian replied, his eyes still not leaving his tablet. "We're here for a month, of which we have stuff to do pretty much every single day for at least three weeks."

"Mggg." Winter puffed her cheeks out, physically illustrating her annoyance at the lack of alone-time she had with her boyfriend. Cassian, seeing his lover's pissed face, gave her an apologetic grin.

"I'm sorry, but we've got to do what we've got to do."

"Uggggh." Winter groaned one more time, before finally dragging herself out of bed. "Fiiiiiine. But only for you."

Cassian gave her a quick peck on the cheek, causing Winter to blush. "There's the girl I fell for." Cassian dropped the tablet on the bed. "Your schedule's in there. The password's Winterforlife."

"Wait, you seriously made that your password?" Cassian chuckled at his girlfriend's disbelief.

"Yes. It was that or Winterislife." Cassian yelped when Winter glomped him from behind and pulled him to the bed. "Hey, careful of my sword!" Cassian unhooked his weapon from his back and threw it to the ground.

"Oh you! Are you sure you don't wanna use your sword?" WInter giggled and wrapped her arms around Cassian's neck. "Shall we have a little fun first and let the others wait?"

"Hey wait…" Cassian squinted. "Is that my Atlas Academy T-shirt? And my boxers!?"

"May-be." Winter laughed. She was indeed wearing Cassian's alma-mater shirt, as well as a pair of his blue boxers. "They're so comfortable!"

"And they're also mine!" Cassian made a grab for them, only for Winter to roll aside at the last minute.

"If you want them, you'll have to take them off yourself!" Winter fluttered her eyelashes seductively. There was no way to misinterpret her intention. In spite of himself, Cassian felt a blush rise in his cheeks. He immediately took a deep breath, trying to control himself. They didn't have time to get all...hanky-panky. "Cassian?" Winter asked, curious why her boyfriend had his eyes closed. "Caaaasian?"

"Return my sleeping clothes, you sex-crazed animal!" Cassian suddenly tackled Winter to the bed, pinning her down. Winter yelped in surprise, a wide grin on her face as she crashed onto the bed.

The two of the tousled around for a bit, laughing and teasing each other. They would have happily continued to do that all day had Cassian's tablet not begun to ring. With lightning speed, Cassian dislodged himself from Winter and grabbed the tablet.

"Crap!" Cassian swore, glancing at the time display on the scroll. "We have five minutes to get to that meeting!"

"Be out in a sec!" Winter rushed into the bathroom to take a quick shower and change, while Cassian tried his best to smooth out his rumpled uniform and hair. A few minutes later, a scream came from the bathroom.

Without thinking, Cassian burst into the bathroom, Damocles drawn and ready to strike.

"Winter, what's wrong?" Cassian shouted, his eyes darting around looking for the attacker. "What do I kill!?"

"C-Cassian." Winter turned to Cassian, a worried look on her face. She had already showered and dressed, and had been in the middle of drying her damp hair when she screamed. "Look."

Cassian peered at Winter's neck. Directly above her collarbone was a small red mark. Due to Winter's perfect white skin, the mark was impossible to miss.

"Huh." Cassian examined the wound. "It looks like something bit you. Maybe a mosquito or something..."

It took Cassian a second to realise exactly who gave her the mark and how it got there. Both of which incidentally, were completely his fault.

"Oooops." Cassian said, scratching his head and giving Winter what he hoped was an apologetic smile. "Um...I could go get a band-aid?"

"Yes…" Winter, after a second, nodded her head. "That would be a good idea."

The moment Cassian stepped out of the bathroom, Winter placed her forehead on the sink and groaned. Even with the band-aid, how many ways were there to get an injury in that particular spot? Winter wasn't even sure if she was mad or happy at Cassian for giving her a hickey.

In all honesty,she felt a little bit of both. Happy that Cassian had left his mark on her, but angry that it was in such a visible place (The romantic in Winter was actually very happy that it was so visible. The logical Winter however, was very very mad.)

WInter hoped to Oum that there weren't any paparazzi outside the hotel. She knew that if they saw the blemish or even the band-aid, rumors would flow like water.

Winter sighed and shook her head.

The tabloids were going to have a field day.

* * *

"Ugh! That was a complete waste of a day!" Weiss grumbled, folding her arms as she lay in her bed. It was late at night, and the team was exhausted. Ruby had already fallen asleep with Zwei, while Blake was trying to sleep. Weiss and Yang however, were not making it easy for the cat Faunus.

"Well I wasn't the one chasing their teammate around for eleven hours straight over a harmless observation."

"You implied Winter and I weren't blood related!"

"I think we both know you got mad because of the other thing."

"That other thing just added insult to the injury!"

"No, it was the injury. But I seriously think you over-reacted. I mean, just because you don't have as much boin-"

"Do you want to keep running throughout the night?"

"Yang, just drop it please so that we can sleep." Blake's exhausted voice cut into the two girls' arguement. "Weiss, that goes for you too. We're all exhausted."

"But Yang-"

"Weiss." Blake's voice took on a slightly feral tone. Weiss shuddered, immediately falling silent.

"Meow. Kitty has cla-"

"Yang."

"OK! Sleeping! G'night Blakey and Weissy!"

"It's Wei-"

"Good night you two." Blake's voice cut through the darkness, her tone indicating that any further noise would be met with violence.

Weiss lay in her bed, listening as her teammates' snores filled the room. She couldn't sleep.

Listening to make sure that she was the only one still awake, Weiss reached over and grabbed her scroll from her bedside table. Pulling her duvet over her head, Weiss unlocked the device.

The picture of Winter and Cassian appeared on her screen. Scrolling through the comments, Weiss noticed how many people supported their supposed "relationship".

Ermagod, it's like...true love! - Loveloveprincess:3

They are soooo cute! She's his queen and he's her knight! #fairytaillove - WinterKnight

I'd tap either of them if they weren't dating each other. -Yellowsundragon

"Wait, is that Yang?"

They've crossed social boundaries and they look hot while doing so. Everyone should learn from them. #modelcouple - Happylovedays

Weiss grimaced. She couldn't believe how many people (including her own teammate for Oum's sake!) believed that her sister was dating her bodyguard. She looked at the picture again, trying to figure out how people had managed to interpret it as being a sign of the two of them dating.

No matter how hard Weiss looked, she couldn't see even an ounce of romance in the photo. Cassian wasn't even looking at Winter. Instead, his gaze seemed to be focused on a Faunus reporter with a voluptuous body…

"Ugh, I just don't see it!" Weiss muttered to herself. After a moment, Weiss decided to search for more photos of the two. Perhaps there was more concrete evidence somewhere else.

Typing Winter and Cassian relationship into Image Search, Weiss was rewarded with thousands of photos of the two. Scrolling through the photos, Weiss noted that many of them were similar to the one Yang showed her.

 _Winter giving a speech, while Cassian stood behind her._

 _Cassian holding the door of the hotel open for Winter._

 _Winter walking out of a boutique, with Cassian carrying her bags._

 _Winter's butt with the caption **Cassian taps this** printed on it._

"What the-?" Weiss blinked at the last one, before continuing to scroll.

Winter eating dinner with Duncan Lazarus, heir to the Lazarus Entertainment corporation, while Cassian stared blankly into space.

"Wow these are some harsh comments from the WinterxCassian shippers…" Weiss mumbled, reading the huge number of death threats directed at Duncan from the said shippers. "Wait, did I just use the term WinterxCassian?! Ugh!"

Weiss continued to scroll while shaking her head furiously.

 _Winter jogging in a park, with Cassian jogging ten meters behind her._

 _Winter shaking hands with a foreign minister while Cassian stood guard next to the minister's own security._

"Where is the romance in these-" Weiss trailed off, noticing one last photo. Pressing on it, a weblink begun to load, showing an enlarged version of the photo as well as a short article.

It was a grainy photo, no doubt taken with a scroll and blown up multiple times. The piece was dated nearly a year ago, and was the oldest photo of the two of them. The title was _Birth of a New Couple?! Winter Schnee and her bodyguard!?_

Weiss looked at the photo. It showed Winter walking down the street. Next to her walked Cassian. The two of them seemed to be chatting and joking together. Winter was laughing, while Cassian had a massive smile on his face. The two of them were also looking directly into each others eyes.

Weiss could tell, despite the poor quality of the photo, that the two of the were genuinely having a good time. She could also tell that there was _something_ between the two of them. Exactly what, Weiss wasn't sure. For some reason, the photo made Weiss think back to when Winter and Cassian had first met at Castle White.

 _"Greetings." The boy gave a stiff bow. "My name is Cassian Gray, and I to be your bodyguard Ms. Winter."_

 _Weiss looked at the strange new boy from behind her sister. It was the first time both girls had met another boy around their age._

 _Her father had told her sister that her new bodyguard would be arriving soon, and that they were to treat him in a way that befitted a bodyguard. Normally, such a meeting would have just been between her sister and her new servant, but Winter had insisted the Weiss come along._

 _"Hello there Cassian." Winter replied, giving Cassian a sunny smile. "My name is Winter, and this here is my little sister Weiss." Winter patted her sister's head. "Say hello Weiss!"_

 _"H-hello." Weiss mumbled softly. The boy continued to keep his head bowed._

 _"Weiss, he can't hear you if you speak that softly!" Winter scolded her younger sister. "Speak louder!"_

 _"H-hello!" Weiss repeated, nearly shouting. "M-my name is Weiss Schnee!"_

 _"Much better!" Winter ruffled Weiss' hair. "Now then, can I call you Cassian?"_

 _"Whatever you wish ma'am." Cassian replied, still not looking up._

 _"Are you going to keep staring at your feet for the rest of the day? I know you're trying to be polite but it's just so silly talking to someone like that."_

 _Weiss saw Cassian blush as he looked up._

 _"I apologise ma'am." Cassian replied, his face beet red._

 _"Please, just call me Winter. We're the same age after all." Weiss looked at her sister in disbelief. Their father had made it very clear that Cassian was to be treated in a similar manner to the rest of the servants. Out of the corner of her eyes, Weiss noticed that Cassian was shocked as well._

 _"I-cannot do that ma'am." Cassian, after a moment's hesitation, firmly denied Winter. "It is not proper for a bodyguard to refer to their master by their first name."_

 _Weiss nodded her head in consent, happy that Cassian understood proper etiquette. Winter however, huffed._

 _"Are you my servant Cassian?"_

 _"Yes ma'am." Cassia replied._

 _"And does that mean you'll do whatever I say?" Weiss realised where Winter was headed with this. Judging from the flash in Cassian's eyes, he had as well._

 _"Yes ma'am-" Cassian begun._

 _"Then I order you to refer-"_

 _"-except if your orders force me to defy proper etiquette." Cassian finished. Weiss could see a ghost of a smile on his face. "Then I'm afraid I cannot follow them."_

 _"..." Winter was silent for a moment, her face inscrutable. Weiss wondered if she was about to snap and scream at Cassian. The idea terrified her. Weiss still had nightmares about the time Winter got mad at those bullies for saying mean things behind Weiss' back._

 _Suddenly, Winter's face began to contort. Weiss braced herself for the horror that was to come._

 _To her surprise, Winter's laughter begun to fill the room. Cassian continued to stand there, his face a mask. After a few minutes, Winter's laughter was reduced to chuckle, before disappearing entirely. A massive grin stayed on her face however, and tears of laughter still remained in the corners of her eyes._

 _"I think I'm going to enjoy your company Cassian." Winter said. Cassian gave a small bow in return._

 _"All is for my lady." Winter snorted, before grabbing the edges of her skirt and curtseying mockingly._

 _"Thank you, my kind knight." The two of them held the position for a few seconds, before both of them burst out laughing._

 _Weiss watched the two of them laugh together, all the while wondering what her father would think if he saw his eldest daughter making jokes with her bodyguard._

 _For some reason, Weiss didn't report to her father what she saw on that day._

"Hmm." Weiss wondered why she hadn't reported that incident to her father. Had she done so, Cassian would have dismissed without a doubt.

"Scuttlefish~" The sudden voice of Yang shook Weiss out of her trance. Hurriedly turning her scroll off, Weiss rolled over and pretended to sleep. Luckily, it appeared that Yang was just talking in her sleep, and her snoring quickly reverberated through the room.

Weiss placed her scroll back on her bedside table, before turning over so that she was staring directly up at Ruby's bed. The young huntress was not making a sound, but Weiss could see the bed rise and fall with her breathing.

"Love huh…" Weiss murmured to herself. "I wonder what it's like."

No matter what anyone said, Weiss Schnee was ultimately a 17 year old girl. And like all 17 year old girls, she had some interest in the metaphysical concept known a love.

As Weiss closed her eyes, a person appeared in her mind's eyes.

A warm feeling ran through Weiss' body as she thought of that person.

That night, both Schnee girls dreamt of love, even if one of them refused to admit it.

Or perhaps she just didn't know it.

Yet.

* * *

 **Our first look at Weiss is complete! Does she approve? Does she not? Does she suspect? Is she secretly jealous of her sister's figure? All these questions will (probably) be answered next time! Please review this story, it really means a lot!**

 **Ferris**


	3. Cliffhanger

Cassian was having a nightmare.

The dream had started out happy enough. He had been fishing by the seaside (A hobby of his that he had very little time to indulge in, due to the time-consuming nature of his job and his bodyguard duties) and eating a Jupiter bar (The hated rival of the After Schnee. Cassian couldn't stand the overwhelmingly cool minty taste in each bite. Winter seemed to like them though.)

While Cassian was enjoying his little break, a shadow crossed his face. Suddenly, a mysterious force begun to crush Cassian into the ground. As Cassian opened his mouth to shout, something covered his face and mouth.

Cassian tried to struggle, but the force refused to budge. At the same time, he felt his air supply dropping lower and lower and lower-

"!?" Cassian's eyes shot open as he realised his mouth and nose were actually covered and that there was something preventing him from moving. The mysterious object had wrapped itself tightly around Cassian's body, immobilising both his legs and left arm but leaving his right free. Cassian immediately begun grasping for the weapon that he normally left lying against his bedside table.

Nothing. The weapon was gone, no doubt removed by the mysterious thing currently constricting him

Cassian was about to use his free hand to strike the mysterious object when he heard a noise.

"Mmm..snuggleberries."

Not what he expected a potential assassin to say. It took a moment for Cassian to recognise the voice as being Winter's.

"...you're kidding." Cassian murmured, smelling the familiar scent of Winter's minty shampoo. With his free hand, he gently brushed the hair off his face, revealing the sleeping face of his lover on his chest.

"...geez." Cassian let out a sigh, trying not to think about how close he was to striking her. Not that it would do any real damage. Winter had, after all, completed the Atlas Military training. She was more than capable of handling herself. "Silly girl." Cassian rubbed her head.

"Mmmm…" Winter snuggled closer, her arms growing tighter around Cassian's body. She must have snuck into Cassian's bed when he was asleep. Cassian found it both cute and worrying that she had been able to do so without him noticing.

"Gotta work on that.." With his free hand, Cassian reached over and grabbed his scroll from the bedside table. The time display read 5:24 AM.

"Guess I'd better get going." Cassian muttered, not really wanting to leave Winter's warm embrace. He normally woke up at 6:30 to do his morning training, but today he needed to head over to Beacon to check on the preparations for Winter's speech at 10. That meant he needed to be at Beacon by 8:45 at the latest. "Sorry love."

Cassian gave Winter a quick peck, before carefully escaping Winter's embrace without waking her up. After quickly changing into a pair of training shorts and a t-shirt, and packing his bodyguard uniform (minus the aesthetic armor) in his bag, Cassian went about preparing Winter's clothes for the day, as well as writing her a quick note explaining where he went.

Satisfied, Cassian stepped out of the room and quietly shut the door. Heading for the elevator banks, Cassian unlocked his scroll and dialed Fred's number. Holding the scroll to his ear, Cassian tapped the button for the roof.

"Morning Fred."

"Morning Colonel." Fred always referred to Cassian as Colonel. Whenever Cassian told him to refer to him by his first name, Fred always refused, saying _You earned the title Colonel. Hence, it's only right that I use it._

"Do you know who's in charge of escorting Ms. Schnee to Beacon?"

"General Ironwood said that he'd send an escort." Fred, having guessed Cassian's intention, added. "So go ahead and do what you have to do."

"Thanks Fred." Cassian hung up the phone and stepped out of the elevator. He had checked the net late last night and had noticed no less than twelve different photos of Winter's band-aid, all with similar captions blaming the 'wound' on Cassian. It had been decided last night that Cassian should avoid any sort of contact with Winter that could be misinterpreted.

Not that it made Cassian feel any better. While he understood the necessity of hiding their relationship, he didn't like the attention Winter was getting from the press. While most of the tabloids were positive (Cassian didn't think it was the most appropriate word to use to describe the articles, but it was the best he could think of), there were a few that outright condemned Winter for shaming her family.

Cassian would have broken up with Winter long ago and nursed his broken heart if it meant that she could walk around without all the rumors. The only reason he hadn't was because the emotional damage that such a breakup would do to Winter would be both irreversible and damning.

"Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself." Cassian muttered darkly, standing at the edge of the Vale Season' roof. Far below, Cassian could see the paparazzi already lining up outside the hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of Winter and him. The sight sent a bolt of anger through Cassian. "This is my fault."

Cassian allowed himself a few more seconds of self-loathing, before snapping himself out of it and scanning the perimeter. About fifteen kilometers to the east were the towers of Beacon Academy, situated at the top of a very tall cliff.

"Huh." Cassian grinned, eyeing the cliff. "That looks like a good workout."

Like all Atlas Military Academy students, Cassian had completed a rock-climbing course. At the beginning, Cassian had been terrified of heights. By the end, he was climbing unassisted up Mt. Etna for fun.

Taking a running start, Cassian threw himself off the roof of the hotel. He free-fell for about fifteen meters, before landing with a roll on the next rooftop, his aura protecting his joints from any serious injury.

Without pause, Cassian begun to free-run across the rooftops, slowly making his way towards the Academy.

* * *

"Mmmmm." Weiss yawned and stretched her arms. She had slept well last night. Reaching for her scroll, Weiss checked the time.

8:24.

"Ugh, I slept in." Weiss grumbled. Despite feeling rested, Weiss did not like sleeping past 7:30. She always felt that she was wasting time sleeping when she could be doing something productive.

"Weiss, you're awake!" Ruby's head poked down from her bed. "Did you see the announcement!?"

"No Ruby I didn't, because I _just woke up_." Weiss really wasn't a morning person. Ruby however, was completely unaffected by Weiss' insulting tone. She had gotten used to it really.

"Oh, well you better see it quick! I'll see you at breakfast!" A cascade of rose petals floated onto the floor as Ruby rushed out to the cafeteria.

"Ruby-" Weiss sighed. Now she'd have to clean those up as well. "Now, let's see what this announcement is about." Grabbing her scroll, Weiss navigated to Beacon's announcement board. "Hmm? Ten o'clock presentation in the courtyard? By who?"

Weiss tapped on the announcement, summoning a small description box. " _Join us in the courtyard to listen to speeches by our own Headmaster Ozpin, General Ironwood and...Winter Schnee?_ " Weiss' eyes widened.

Her sister was coming here? To _Beacon_?

Weiss continued to read the announcement, but could find nothing regarding exactly what the presentation was about. The only things the announcement said was that the event was open to the public, seats were on a first-come-first-serve basis and that if students wished to attend they had to RSVP via their scrolls as soon as possible.

Weiss' finger hovered over the 'attend' option. A few minutes later, she still hadn't moved.

"Why am I hesitating?" Weiss asked herself. "It's just a presentation. It's not like I have to talk to her or anything. Heck, I'll doubt she'll even know I'm there." Feeling a little better, Weiss selected 'attend'.

Almost immediately, she wished she had spent more time thinking about it.

"Ah, whatever!" Weiss threw her phone onto her bed and began getting dressed for the day. "It's just a presentation!"

* * *

"This looked a lot easier from afar." Cassian grunted to himself. About twenty meters above him lay the Beacon gardens. About four hundred meters beneath him lay solid concrete. "Then again, I guess I forgot about the overhang."

The rocky outcrop meant that Cassian would have to climb the last twenty meters or so solely with his arms.

"Oum this is gonna be hard." Cassian took a deep breath, steeling himself, before letting his feet dangle. "Mother Grimm!" Cassian cursed as he felt the nothingness beneath his feet. "Come on, it's just like those monkey bars you used to play on as a kid. Just one arm after another."

Cassian looked at the rocky surface above his head. There were literally no hand holds. Instead, circular rock fragments stuck out of the cliff's underbelly. This meant that Cassian would be relying not on hand strength, but finger strength.

Cassian took one more look down. The ground was very, very far away. He wasn't sure if his aura would protect him from a fall this high. The highest fall Cassian had did was one hundred fifty meters, and that had nearly broken his aura-enhanced bones. A fall from nearly three-times that height would kill him.

"Crap." Cassian swore one more time, before swinging over and grabbing the first 'handhold'. He felt his fingers slide against the smooth rock, before finally finding purchase.

"Crapity-crapity-crapity crap."

* * *

"Cassian?" Winter yawned and stretched, her eyes searching for her lover. "Where arrrre you?"

Winter hopped out of bed, noting the absence of Cassian's weapon and uniform. Looking around, she noticed the note lying on the bedside table. Walking over, Winter grabbed the note and read it.

 _Dear Winter,_

 _Sorry I had to leave so early, but there's some stuff I need to do before the speech at 10-_

Winter groaned. She had forgotten about the speech she was meant to give at Beacon.

 _-which I'm sure you've already forgotten about even though I mentioned it to you yesterday. Silly girl._

Winter smiled, imagining Cassian's exasperated face (which she found cute) as he wrote the note. Plus, she loved it when he called her 'silly girl'.

 _I've left your clothes in my room, along with a tablet with your speech on it. Remember to bring your weapon as well! The General may want you to showcase your skills-_

Winter glanced at her weapon, lying uncoiled on the chair. She grinned. It had been a while since she'd last gotten to use it.

 _-or you may want to spar with some Beacon students in your free time afterwards. Yes, I said free time. This is the only event you have today. Anyway, I'll see you at Beacon. The General is sending his own security detail to escort you today, so I'm not needed until later._

 _Love,_

 _Cassian_

Winter scrunched up the letter, making a mental note to destroy it later. No need for some hotel cleaner to sell it to the press and make things even more difficult. The thought of the press made Winter recall yesterday's conversation, specifically Cassian's reaction.

Winter had seen Cassian's face when they discussed the way they needed to act in public. The guilt and self-loathing had been obvious, no matter how much Cassian tried to hide it. It was one of the reasons why Winter had snuck into his bed in the first place. To remind him that she loved him regardless of how she acted in public.

"I hate them." Winter whispered, gripping her weapon's hilt. "To make him feel this way, even though it isn't his fault...I hate them all."

Another, much older memory, crossed Winter's mind as she sat there. Winter remembered the conversation she had had with her father, when he discovered that she was dating Cassian.

 _"Break up with him." Winter's father's tone was soft, but the anger was there. "Now."_

 _"I refuse." Winter didn't know how her father had found out about their relationship within a week of them starting it. Nor did it surprise her._

 _Reim Schnee was said to know even the darkest of government secrets. It would have surprised her if he wasn't aware of his own daughter's transgressions._

 _"That wasn't a request Winter."_

 _"I am aware."_

 _"..." The Schnee patriarch suddenly smashed his fist on the table. Such an action would have caused any regular person to flinch, as it indicated that Reim's full wrath was focused on you._

 _Winter didn't flinch, continuing to stare directly into her father's eyes._

 _"I can dismiss him in an instant." Reim threatened._

 _"And I can hire him back." Winter shot back. "I'm no longer a child father."_

 _"I'll strip you of your inheritance. A Schnee heiress cannot love a commoner!"_

 _"Do as you will." Winter's look of frigid indifference only served to infuriate her father further. "I only wish for him, nothing more."_

 _"I will have him killed then!" This got Winter's attention. Her indifference disappeared, replaced with anger._

 _"If Cassian dies and I find that you were responsible." Winter's gaze was so terrifying that even Reim had to resist the urge to flinch. "I will wring the life out of you myself."_

 _"You would hurt your father!?" Reim roared._

 _"Anyone who kills Cassian is no father of mine." Winter's eyes flashed, promising a brutal death to whoever opposed her. "Only an object of my hatred."_

 _Silence filled the room as the two Schnee's waited for the other to react. After a moment, Reim spun around so that he was no longer facing his daughter._

 _"...You really are a Schnee." Winter curtsied, her face returning to its usual indifferent look. "Very well, you may continue your relationship with your..servant."_

 _"Thank you father-"_

 _"However, there are a few conditions. First, you will no longer be heiress to the Schnee Fortune. This is your punishment for defying my orders."_

 _"I have no complaints."_

 _"Second, no one must know about your relationship. If I hear even a whisper, I will have him killed."_

 _"And I will kill you in return." Reim snorted._

 _"You truly are a Schnee. What a pity you fell for him, you would have made a good heiress. You're are dismissed Winter. Remember what you lost for this."_

 _"I have no regrets father." Winter gave one last curtsey, before spinning on her heels and walking out the door._

"And I still don't." Winter whispered. After coming to a tentative agreement with her father, Winter had taken control of the the Schnee's Pale Horse military unit. Their secret relationship had continued along just fine, with the two of them acting distant in front of the cameras but as lovers in private.

And then one day, while the two of them were enjoying one of their few days off, someone snapped a picture from afar and posted it on their blog. It had been a harmless thing, something done by a random passerby who just so happened to be there at the right (or wrong) time. Within two hours however, it was all over the internet.

Within eight hours, both Winter and Cassian had been summoned to Reim Schnee's office.

That meeting had gone very differently.

 _"What did I say about keeping it a secret!" Reim roared. Both Cassian and Winter stood in front of his desk. Both of them were looking straight, their gaze fixed on the window directly behind Reim. "Hm!? Answer me!"_

 _"We didn't expect to be photographed by an amateu-" Winter begun, only to be cut off by Reim smashing his palm onto his desk._

 _"Excuses! I don't care how it happened!" Reim pointed his finger at Winter. "You promised me that it would remain secret! That was our deal!" Reim suddenly stood up, his hand reaching under his desk. "And now I'll do well on my promise."_

 _Reim's desk suddenly soared forward. Winter and Cassian immediately launched themselves into the air, dodging the table. The two of them, upon landing, simultaneously drew their respective weapons._

 _"Father!?"_

 _"Sir Schnee!?"_

 _"I told you didn't I!?" Reim spat. In his hand was his weapon, the long-spear Echtekalt. The ornate spear was nearly two meters long, with snowflakes engraved on its hilt and blade. The dust compartment, a staple in all Schnee Family weapons, was located in its blade. "I would kill Cassian if this happened."_

 _"Then I will make well on my promise as well." Winter's weapon unfurled in her hand. "And kill you in exchange."_

 _"..." Cassian didn't speak, simply leveling his blade at his lover's father._

Thinking back, that had been the most terrifying moment of Winter's life. Both her and Cassian, highly trained Hunters considered to be the top in their class, had nearly died in the fight with the Schnee Patriarch.

It had also been the day when Winter realised just why she had fallen so madly in love with Cassian in the first place. What Cassian did on that day had even affected her father, so much that he had put down his weapon, before throwing them out of the study without another word.

"Ohhh." Winter felt her cheeks go red as she remembered what they had did later in the day. Near death experiences really did wonders for bedroom antics. "I love you so much Cassian!" Winter squealed to no one in particular. She was a bit weird when she was alone.

* * *

"H-h-ha-choo!" Cassian sneezed, nearly plummeting to his death in the process. "CRAP CRAP CRAP!"

Through some miracle, Cassian managed not to fall to his untimely demise.

"Damn allergies." Cassian sniffed, reaching for the next handhold. About ten meters away was the edge of the cliff. "Nearly killed me."

* * *

Weiss let out a sigh of relief. After an eventful breakfast (where Yang had basically pestered Weiss about how jaw-droppingly attractive her older sister was and how much she was looking forward to the presentation, which annoyed Weiss to no end.), Weiss had decided to take a walk through the Beacon grounds.

As Weiss walked through the manicured plants and towards the Beacon cliffs, she heard the sound of singing. As an avid singer herself, Weiss recognised good singing when she heard it.

"She's pretty good." Weiss muttered, already beginning to walk towards the source of the melody. Wandering through numerous small paths in the gardens, Weiss eventually emerged in a small clearing right by a rocky outcrop.

Seated on the ground, her back to Weiss, was a small girl with bunny ears. Weiss could hear her clear voice reverberating through the grassy clearing.

Weiss recognised the girl as the same super quiet and shy girl that Jaune had saved from Cardin Winchester all that time ago. It was also the same girl that had sent a Grimm flying with a single kick during the Breach of Vale.

"Was her name Velma?" Weiss mumbled to herself, trying to remember the name of the girl with many talents. She didn't feel comfortable calling out to the girl unless she was 100% what her name was. "No, that doesn't sound right."

"Little carrot, grow big and strong~" The girl sang, completely oblivious to Weiss' existence. With a start, Weiss realised that there were different fruits and vegetables growing in the garden. "Little orange carrot, grow big so Velvet can eat you~"

"..." Weiss had heard that singing to plants was meant to help them grow, but she wasn't sure if that applied if one sang songs of the plant's ultimate demise. "Why does Beacon have so many weirdos?" Weiss asked herself sadly, a certain blonde teammate and a certain hammer wielder immediately coming to mind.

Weiss couldn't help but fear for the future of Remnant, with such individuals aiming to eventually become the protectors of the world and all.

* * *

Velvet Scarlatina loved her secret spot. She had discovered it in her first year in Beacon while running away from some bullies. Due to the many winding paths, very few people knew of the spot. Hence, Velvet had, through the years, turned it into her own personal garden.

All of Velvet's favorite fruits and vegetables grew in this little clearing, each one meticulously taken care of by the bunny Faunus.

"Hello Mr. Radish~" Velvet continued to sing, switching her attention from her carrots (her favorite veggie) to her radishes (her second favorite veggie). "How do you do? I think I will soon eat you~!"

Suddenly, a blur flew over the cliffside in front of her, before landing right on top of Mr. Radish. A horrific crunch echoed through the clearing as Mr. Radish died.

"Ugh." The blur, revealed to be an attractive gray-haired man. Velvet first thought he was much older then her because of his hair, but she quickly dispelled that theory when she saw his young-looking face. He was probably just two years older than she was. "That was bloody terrifying!"

Velvet's eyes moved from the mysterious man to Mr. Radish, who now lay crushed under the man's butt. Her eyes filled with tears at the early demise of her best-friend/potential lunch.

"Huh?" The man seemed to finally realise he had company. Looking at Velvet, the man tentatively raised his hand in greeting. "Oh...uh, hi?"

At this point, Velvet begun crying.

* * *

"Eh!?" Cassian was surprised when the little girl began to sob. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what he had done. "W-wait, please don't cry!"

"Waaah! Mr. Radish~!" Cassian blinked, before looking down at where he was seating.

"Oh." Cassian realised that he was sitting it what appeared to be the girl's garden. Reaching underneath his butt, Cassian felt what appeared to be a crushed radish. "Ah."

"Mr. Raaaaadish~!" The girl continued to cry.

"Um-um." Cassian tried to think of some suitable condolences to say to the girl. He had attended numerous funerals before, but none had been held for a vegetable (though, he had once attended a funeral held in the honor of an old eccentric's video game console.). "Sorry?" Cassian offered weakly.

This only led to the girl crying harder, causing Cassian to panic even more.

"Uh..." Cassian resisted the urge to wave his arms in desperation. Looking at the girl, he realised that in his panic he hadn't noticed the massive rabbit ears on her head (Cassian wondered how the heck he had missed those). Peering more closely, Cassian realised the girl looked familiar. "...Wait, are you Velvet Scarlatina?"

The girl looked up at Cassian, her nose running and tears rolling down her face. "Y-yes." The girl stuttered, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"You're Helaine's cousin right?" Velvet nodded. "You don't remember me?" Velvet shook her head. "Ignis' Christmas Party? The legendary Fruit Ninja?" Velvet's eyes widened, causing Cassian to smile.

"Y-you're Cass?"

"By Oum-" Cassian laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "-it's been ages since someone last called me that-oumph!?" Cassian's eyes widened as Velvet tackled Cassian in a hug. "Woah! Cliff! Cliff!" Cassian felt himself land on the vegetable patch, while his head fell over the cliffside. "Pheeew…that was too close for comfort."

"Cass!" Velvet sniffed, hugging Cassian tighter. "I-It's been-"

"Six years?" Cassian patted the rabbit Faunus on the head. "Seems like you're still the same cry-baby Velvet that used to sob whenever we cut the chicken. Though, I didn't know you ended up at Beacon. Guess I can't call you a crybaby for much longer hmm?"

"Ahem." A third voice called through the clearing, causing both Cassian and Velvet to freeze. Neither of them had noticed the third person. "While I'd hate to-"

Cassian felt the hair on his neck rise up. There were only two people he knew that were capable of such a haughty and cold voice, and he knew that one of them was still probably snoring back at the hotel. Cassian wondered what he had done to make Oum curse him with such a meeting under these circumstances.

"-disturb such a touching reunion." Weiss Schnee finished, glaring at her sister's bodyguard who was currently on the ground with a Faunus hugging him. "I have a few questions for my sister's bodyguard."

Cassian gulped.

* * *

 **Poor Cassian.**


	4. Past and Present

**Thank you DeathOnWings1203 for your help! I've kept your comments and suggestions in mind!**

Weiss watched as Cassian scrambled to his feet, carefully extracting himself from Velvet in the process, before giving Weiss a stiff bow.

"Hello Ms. Schnee." Cassian's face was impassive, a far cry from the bemused look he had been wearing just moments ago. "I apologise for showing you that."

"No matter." Weiss waved her hand, surprising herself with her casual dismissal of Cassian's behaviour. Being with her team must have been affecting her a lot more than she had originally thought. "I must admit however, you did escape from Velvet's grasp rather...easily."

"I've had practice." Cassian's face and voice betrayed nothing about the meaning behind that statement.

"Really? I do remember my sister being a rather difficult sleeper, with a tendency to wrap herself around anything which shared her bed." Weiss' pointed question, with its obvious implied meaning, produced no reaction from Cassian.

"I would not know. My mistress' personal affairs are not my concern." Out of the corner of her eye, Weiss could see Velvet's head swiveling from Weiss to Cassian and back to Weiss, as if she was watching a verbal tennis game.

"Hmph." Weiss crossed her arms. She couldn't be too direct in front of Velvet, since the Schnee name could be tarnished if either Cassian or Weiss said the wrong thing. Cassian was obviously not going to divulge any sort of information, and Weiss knew that his military training meant he knew how to resist every interrogation trick under the sun. "Very well Colonel, I'll drop the subject." Weiss' tone indicated however, that the subject was anything but dropped. "Though, why are you here anyway? I don't see Winter anywhere."

"I was doing some morning training Ms. Schnee." Cassian indicated the cliffside, causing Weiss' eyes to boggle in surprise. To Cassian's credit, he didn't smirk. "I also need to check the security measures around the presentation today. General Ironwood said he'd take care of escorting my mistress to Beacon personally, so I decided to take advantage of the extra time."

Weiss nodded her approval. If General Ironwood gave his personal word about Winter's safety, then Cassian was indeed not needed. "Have you eaten yet?" Weiss inwardly smiled at Cassian's startled expression. He quickly regained himself, his face turning stoic immediately.

"No ma'am, I haven't."

"Come with me then. We can get some breakfast at the Beacon cafeteria. Times-" Weiss thought of her team, specifically her blond teammate with an unhealthy obsession with a certain celebrity couple. "-I think my team would like to meet you."

Cassian, suspecting nothing, nodded his agreement. "Thank you ma'am."

"Oh don't thank me yet." Weiss shot Cassian a smile which was most definitely _not_ without malice. "You haven't met Yang."

With that said, Cassian and Weiss left the clearing, Cassian giving Velvet a wink and a small wave before disappearing down the winding paths.

* * *

Winter stepped out of the hotel elevator and into the lobby. Immediately, all the hotel staff made a human corridor to the exit of the hotel, where a group of paparazzi stood behind a wall of Atlesian Knights. As Winter made her way towards the doors, the paparazzi immediately surged forward.

Microphones and cameras were thrust between the Knights and questions were shouted as Winter stepped out onto the street. Winter ignored the questions, all of which pertained to her supposed relationship with Cassian, and walked towards the open door of the car. Her face was set in her usual frown, her gait oozing regality and haughtiness, with just a touch of sensuality.

Stepping into the car, Winter waited until the door closed before breathing a sigh of relief. Through the tinted windows, Winter could see Atlesian patrol cars surround her vehicle.

"How long until we arrive at Beacon Fred?" Winter flicked through the tablet that Cassian had left for her.

"It's about half an hour to the airship port, followed by another half an hour via airship. So, around an hour or so?" Fred replied.

"Very well." Winter opened up the speech that Cassian had prepared for her. "Did Cassian leave any messages for me?"

"No ma'am. However, there is one from General Ironwood. He says that due to security concerns, he has dispatched a Atlas Hunter team to provide additional protection for you."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Additional protection? Is he doubting Cassian's abilities to protect me?"

"I wouldn't know ma'am. He says that the presence of two Schnees in a single place is a very attractive target for the White Fang."

"That man has always jumped at the chance of showcasing Atlas' military force." Winter sighed, before registering the second part of what Fred said. "Two? So my sister is attending the presentation then?"

"According to the General, yes."

Winter looked out the window. She had only seen her sister sporadically over the past six years, their communication at each meeting being nothing short of formal. Winter doubted they had spoken more than fifty words to each other in six years. Neither of the girls had made any attempt to rectify this either.

When her father ordered her to cease all communication with Weiss, Winter had obliged without complaint, mainly because she hadn't had any communication with Weiss long before the order. Hence, the order hadn't caused any real change in the two sister's relationship.

And now, for the first time in years, the two sisters would finally see each other face-to-face.

"Well, it's not like we'll speak to each other." Winter murmured to herself. She wasn't sure how she felt about this. "I mean, she'll be in the audience and everything."

Despite this reassurance, Winter couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation towards their eventual 'meeting'.

As well as some apprehension.

* * *

"Ms. Schnee." Cassian suddenly spoke up. The two of them were walking towards the cafeteria. "May I ask a slightly personal question?"

"It isn't like I can stop you." Weiss replied dryly. During the walk, the two of them had engaged in some small talk. Weiss had been surprised to find that Cassian was actually rather friendly, if not incredibly polite. He had been more than willing to answer some of Weiss' other, non-Winter related, questions, even asking Weiss a few, albeit generic, questions in return. "So ask away."

"How is your relationship with the mistress?" Weiss stopped walking, nearly causing Cassian to run into her. He managed to stop himself however.

"...I haven't spoken to Winter in a long time." Weiss replied, eventually resuming her walk, though at a noticeably faster pace. "Though I would have thought you'd know that."

"I'm not familiar with my mistress' personal affairs." Cassian replied smoothly. This time however, he truly meant it.

"Of course." Weiss sighed, having expected that answer. "But why did you ask?"

"Curiosity." Cassian admitted. It was the first time Cassian had said something even vaguely personal. "My mistress never seemed to make any attempt to contact you, and as far as I know, neither did you."

Weiss didn't respond to Cassian's observation, choosing instead to increase her pace. Cassian, realising he had crossed the line, immediately sped up. "I am sorry if I-"

"No, it's fine." Weiss didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust Cassian. "You're right. I haven't made any attempt to contact Winter. Not recently, at least."

"Not...recently?" Weiss nodded.

"She first stopped talking to me when she begun at the Academy." Weiss begun. Cassian noted her hands were clenched into fists. "I sent her a few messages, but never received any replies. Even when we would meet, she'd always act distant. So me, being a typical twelve year old, decided to act the same to her." Weiss turned to look at Cassian, her eyes empty. "I felt that since she had started ignoring me, it was only fair that she be the one to apologise."

"But she never did."

"She never did." Weiss echoed. "So from that day on, we didn't act like sisters anymore unless etiquette demanded it. It's been that way for six years."

"Do you...regret it?"

" _A Schnee must always stand by their decision._ " Weiss replied, quoting one of the many lines that had been drilled into her since birth. "The two of us made this decision, and we'll stick by it through thick and thin. That's the Schnee way."

Cassian looked as if he was about to say something more, but upon seeing Weiss' face he stopped himself. Instead, he rummaged through his pocket, before pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to Weiss.

It was only then that she realised she was crying. Long, racking sobs left Weiss' lips as she stood there.

Cassian watched as the Schnee heiress sobbed. He didn't say anything, no words of comfort or the like. Cassian knew that sometimes it was best to just let it out.

After a few minutes, Weiss' sobs slowly faded away to sniffles. It was only then that she remembered that Cassian was still standing there.

"I-I apologise for showing you that." Weiss said, still sniffling. She blew her nose on Cassian's handkerchief. "That was very uncouth-"

Cassian cut Weiss off by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Weiss shouted in alarm, immediately struggling against his grasp. Cassian however, continued to hold the heiress. Eventually, Weiss gave up struggling and simply allowed Cassian to embrace her. After a few minutes, Weiss mumbled, her voice muffled by Cassian's torso. "Thank you."

Cassian immediately released the heiress and stepped back. His usual indifferent expression was replaced with a kind one, his brown eyes soft and reassuring. With a start, Weiss realised that this was the same Cassian that she remembered from her childhood.

"Ms. Schnee-no Weiss." Weiss' eyes widened as Cassian spoke her first name. "Since I'm fairly certain neither of us will ever talk about this again, I just thought I'd speak my mind if you'd let me." Cassian waited for Weiss' agreement. After a moment, Weiss gave a small nod. "Thank you. Do you remember what the Great War was fought about nearly a century ago?"

"Individualism." Weiss, ever the perfect student, immediately answered. She also knew what Cassian was trying to say. "But I'm a Schnee. I don't have the luxury of-"

"It's a choice Weiss." Cassian interrupted, not rudely but gently. "It isn't an easy one, but it's ultimately down to you to decide who you are. Are you a Schnee? Or are you Weiss?"

"It isn't that eas-"

"-Or are you both?" Cassian finished. Weiss fell silent, having realised what Cassian was implying.

"Are you saying my sister-"

"I will not comment on Winter." Cassian replied softly yet firmly. "But I can say this to you Weiss. To you, I am both Colonel Cassian Gray the bodyguard, as well as Cassian Gray the friend." Cassian gently ruffled Weiss hair, something that would have normally earned him an earful.

This time Weiss let him touch her without complaint, even relaxing as he did so.

"I hope you take to heart what I've said Weiss." Cassian removed his hand from her head and gently used his finger to wipe away any remaining tears. "Follow what you believe and decide who you want to be. Doing what you want doesn't necessarily mean tarnishing the Schnee name."

The way Cassian spoke, it was as if he was speaking from experience.

"Cassian, you-" Cassian placed his finger gently on her lips, silencing her.

"Shall we go, Ms. Schnee?" Cassian asked, his voice turning both formal and impersonal. He removed his finger from Weiss' lips. "I apologise for making you wait."

Weiss blinked, realising whatever they just had was over. Taking a moment to compose herself, Weiss spun on her heels, showing Cassian her back. "Make sure not to do it again." Weiss responded curtly, before resuming her walk. After a moment, Cassian followed politely behind her.

He noted how she slowed down just a bit, shrinking the distance between the two of them by perhaps three inches at most.

A tiny difference, but a difference nevertheless.

Cassian smiled, blissfully unaware of the blush on the younger Schnee's face.

Oooops.

* * *

By the time Cassian and Weiss reached the cafeteria, the younger Schnee had finished composing herself. Any sign of her previous crying fit was gone, replaced with a haughty and confident look. Cassian couldn't help but smile slightly at the resemblance to Winter.

"What are you smiling about?" Weiss, noticing the smile, asked.

"Nothing of importance Ms. Schnee." Cassian smiled, holding the door open. "After you."

"Humph. Your attitude is a lot more casual now." Weiss huffed, stepping into the cafeteria. She wasn't actually annoyed though. In fact, she prefered this more casual attitude, even if she would never admit it. "Perhaps I should inform my sister about this change."

"All is for my lady." Cassian whispered. Weiss snorted, causing Cassian to let out a small laugh before stepping in behind her.

* * *

"I apologise, but I really should be going." Cassian glanced at his scroll. It was 9:08 and Cassian had yet to actually scout out the presentation area. "I need to complete the security checks before my mistress arrives-"

"So is you calling Winter your mistress a kink thing?" Yang interrupted. She had been grilling Cassian about Winter for the past ten minutes, while Weiss watched on with amusement. "Cause it sure sounds like some sort of dominate/submit thing."

"No. It's a sign of respect." Cassian replied. The blonde brawler seemed to somehow manage to twist everything Cassian said to indicate that he had a relationship with Winter. Cassian had to admit, as infuriating as it was, the girl's talent for word play was outstanding.

"Respect, as in a lov-"

"No." Cassian interrupted, having correctly deduced Yang was about to say. "I apologise, but I really must leave now." Turning to Weiss, Cassian bowed his head. "Thank you for the meal Ms. Schnee."

"You're welcome." Weiss replied. "Perhaps I'll see you later today?" She added, trying to sound casual.

Yang however, seemed to notice something, as a wide smile begun to grow on her face.

"If you so wish Ms. Schnee." Cassian stood up and picked up his now-empty tray. "You have my scroll number."

"Oh my Oum, are you trying to steal your sister's boyfrien-"

"No!" Weiss glared at Yang, who gave her a shit-eating grin in return. Cassian however, was staring at his Scroll. A message had arrived from General Ironwood.

"Ms. Schnee." Weiss stopped staring daggers at Yang and turned to face Cassian. "I've been ordered to bring you to the presentation grounds immediately by the General. Apparently there are a few security concerns with two Schnees being in the same place at the same time."

"Are they worried about the White Fang?" Weiss asked. She remembered her fight with the White Fang lieutenant. That man had an unnatural hate of Schnee's taking obvious pleasure in the life and death battle between the two of them.

"I am assuming so." Cassian slid his scroll back into his pocket. "Regardless, any extra security is always welcome in my eyes. Especially if it is supplied by the General's own troops."

"Very well." Weiss hopped to her feet. "Lead the way Colonel."

"Ms. Schnee, I need to make a quick stop before we go to the presentation ground." Cassian motioned to his outfit. He was still dressed in his workout clothes. "It would be most unbecoming if I was dressed like this while representing the Schnee family."

"Indeed." Weiss nodded. "We can stop by a bathroom so that you can change."

"Or you could just change here." Yang offered, her eyes sparkling. "I mean, you're a guy so…"

"I will have to humbly refuse Ms. Xiao Long." Cassian's facial expression was unreadable. "It would not be very good if pictures of myself topless with the caption **Rocking hot bod** were spread across the internet."

Yang choked in surprise while Weiss hid a smile behind her hand.

Cassian however, remained stoic, without even the ghost of a smile to indicate his mirth.

* * *

Winter stepped out of the airship. She had arrived about 30 minutes before the presentation was due to start. This was partly because Winter was never late and partly because she wanted to see Cassian prior to her speech.

As Winter made her way from the airship to the entrance of the school, she noticed two people standing some ways away. Upon catching Winter's eye, the two of them immediately made a beeline for her.

"You are Winter Schnee correct?" One of the two, a girl perhaps a year younger than Winter, asked.

"And who might you be?" Winter replied curtly, looking the girl over. She had silver hair and piercing red eyes. Her mouth was curled into a small smirk, giving her an overall mischievous appearance. Her outfit, resembling a marching band conductor in appearance, consisted of the typical Atlas Military colors of gray and white but with yellow tassels. What appeared to be a cross between a baton and a scroll rested in a small sheath strapped to her right leg.

"Lieutenant Colonel Silvers Iscariot of Team SHYD." The girl responded casually. "This here is Major Yin Chi-tu also of Team SHYD. We're the team in charge of security for the Vytal Festival."

"An honor to meet you Ms. Schnee." Major Yin bowed. Winter had to admit that at first glance Yin resembled a girl, with a thin body and long limbs. His outfit consisted of baggy pants tucked into his boots, and a tight black tank-top with removable sleeves. Gauntlets covered his hands and arms. The hilt of his weapon stuck out from behind his right shoulder. "Please forgive the Lieutenant Colonel for her rudeness. She's unable to understand common etiquette."

"Rude." Silvers huffed dramatically, hitting her subordinate lightly on the back. "Cass never made us refer to him by Colonel."

"A single exception doesn't mean the rule isn't there." Yin sighed and shook his head, a gesture which was unnerving similar to Cassian's. "Colonel Cassian may have been very lax with us, but that doesn't mean Ms. Schnee is the same."

"True. Though aren't the two of them dating?" Silvers looked at Winter, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. "Ah, that was rude of me. Sorry~"

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Yin shouted at the girl, who stuck her tongue out at him and said _tee-hee~_ , before bowing profusely to Winter. "I am so sorry! Please forgive my stupid leader!"

"You're forgiven this time. But make sure it never happens again." Normally, Winter would make sure that the Lieutenant Colonel was severely punished for such behaviour, but she decided to ignore her antics and instead go straight to the important point. "Though you mentioned you two knew my bodyguard?"

"Yes, Colonel Cassian was our senior student guide during our time at the Academy." Yin replied, his head still inclined downwards in apology. "He taught us how to excel in all aspects of Hunting, as well as-"

"He was also my boyfriend." Silvers added, obviously annoyed at being ignored.

"Silvers!" Yin smacked his commander across the head, earning a yelp of pain from her. "Don't talk to Ms. Schnee like she's your friend! Why would your personal life matter at all to her!" Yin turned to Winter, before dropping to his knees and placing his forehead on the floor. "I humbly apologise for Silvers' actions and beg that you show mercy in your punishment! Silvers is an idiot, but ultimately her dismissal or execution-"

"Wait, why am I being executed for speaking the truth!?"

"-would be detrimental to both Atlas and the security forces in Vytal!"

Winter however, was no longer listening. Her gaze was instead focused on the silver-haired girl who was watching Yin with a bemused expression on her face. Suddenly, as if sensing Winter's gaze, Silvers looked up. Her red eyes locked onto Winter's blue ones. For a moment, the two of them were staring directly at each other.

Silvers shot her a smile, revealing sharpened canines that wouldn't have looked off on a Faunus.

Winter continued to stare impassively at Silvers. Her body language remained the same, excluding a regal and icy aura.

Inside however, an unfamiliar emotion burned in Winter's chest. It took a moment for her to recognise it.

When she did, she was surprised. Winter Schnee had never, in her entire life, ever expected to feel jealous of someone. Especially not a Lieutenant-Colonel she had never met before.

Yet here she was, feeling an odd mixture of hatred and jealousy for Silvers Iscariot.

She had, if her words were to be trusted, once been in a relationship with Cassian.

Winter had never heard of Cassian ever being in a relationship before her.

Admittedly, Winter had never directly asked Cassian if he'd ever been with another woman. She had assumed that this was something that was revealed at the beginning of a relationship, a disclosure of sorts for the other party.

Winter had thought she was the only one who knew everything about Cassian, like only he did about her.

Yet here was a girl who claimed to have known Cassian intimately before she did.

Winter made a mental note to interrogate Cassian _very thoroughly_ about Silvers Iscariot the next time they had a private moment.

* * *

"Ugh." Cassian suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone was walking over his grave.

"Hmm?" Weiss looked back at the Colonel. "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing Ms. Schnee." Cassian replied, re-adjusting his weapon's sheath. "Probably just a breeze."

The two of them stepped around the corner, only to be greeted by two girls. Judging from the way they stood up straighter upon seeing them, they had obviously been waiting for Cassian and Weiss to arrive.

"Ms. Schnee. Colonel Cassian. I am Captain Davina Camlann of Team SHYD." One of the two girls nodded her head. Davina Camlann had short black hair with a few messy crimson streaks. Her outfit was a ripped and tattered Atlas Military Uniform. To the untrained eye, the tears seemed random. Cassian however, could tell that the outfit's rips had been done in order to maximize flexibility and body movement. Two hilts stuck out behind each of Davina's shoulders. "This here is-" Davina motioned to the other girl. "-my partner Captain Helaine Cassius, also of Team SHYD."

"Hello Helaine." Cassian waved at Velvet's cousin, an old friend from both the military academy and back home. "How have you been?"

Helaine gave Cassian a thumbs up in response. Her large white bunny ears stuck out of her head, indicating her species as a rabbit faunus. The rest of her body however, was completely covered. Helaine's face was covered by a gas mask, while the rest of her body was enclosed in a skin-tight hazmat suit. The word danger was printed in six different languages all over her suit, along with cartoonish skulls and crossbones. Her weapons, a pair of knives, were strapped to each of her biceps. What appeared to be bracelets made of compressed air cartridges lined each of her wrists.

"I see you've brought the principal." Davina noted, inclining her head towards Weiss. "The General wants us to escort her to a secure location within the presentation grounds for protection until the presentation starts."

"So Team SHYD is in charge of security for the Vytal Festival?" Davina nodded. "Whose your leader? I can't say I remember exactly who made up SHYD-"

"Our leader is Lieutenant-Colonel Silvers Iscariot, who I am led to believe you are acquainted with?" Weiss noticed that Cassian had tensed up slightly at the name _Silvers Iscariot_.

"Ah...yes, I am acquainted with her." Cassian nodded his head, a grim smile on his face. "And where is the Lieutenant-Colonel at the moment?"

"She is currently escorting Ms. Winter Schnee to the presentation area. Apparently she is a fan."

"...shit." Weiss heard Cassian curse under his breath. Davina must have heard it as well, as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Is something the matter Colonel?"

"N-no! Nothing is wrong at all! Ahahahaha." Cassian gave Davina what Weiss thought was the worst reassuring laugh she had ever seen. "So, we're to escort both Ms. Weiss and her sister to the secure location correct?"

"Yes. Please follow me Ms. Schnee." Davina indicated for Weiss to follow behind her.

Weiss, still distracted by Cassian's obvious discomfort towards Silvers Iscariot, obediently followed Davina to the secure waiting room set aside for her use.

It was only when she stepped into the hastily set up tent surrounded by Atlesian Paladins and saw the white-haired girl seated cross-legged on a chair while playing with her scroll that Weiss realised the full implications of what both Davina and Cassian had said.

"One of you find my bodyguard _now_." Winter ordered, not looking up from her scroll. "I need to speak with him immediately."

Weiss didn't answer, instead choosing to silently watch her older sister from the entrance of the tent. Winter, noticing the lack of reply and movement, looked up from her scroll. Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Weiss.

For the first time in years, the two sisters were meeting face-to-face.

* * *

 **Phew. That was long. Some characterisation, some preparation and another cliffhanger. I wonder how this meeting will end? Review what you think please! They really make a difference to me.**


	5. Boiled or Broiled?

Weiss thought the silence to be deafening. She and her sister sat on opposite sides of the table. Weiss found herself fiddling with her ponytail, a habit that she had thought she'd stopped years ago.

Winter however, had no such habit. She sat completely still, her eyes staring into space. Her scroll, with her speech projected onto the screen, lay on the table.

Weiss knew that Winter was mentally running through the speech, deciding when to pause and what phrases to emphasise. Weiss found herself unconsciously observing her sister.

In Weiss' opinion, Winter was even more striking in person. The many photos of her (which Weiss had gone over the night before) were incapable to capture the incredible aura that Winter excluded. Weiss, who was quite confident in her own attractiveness, felt self-conscious beside her sister. Winter's long legs, perfect skin, thin waist and large breasts-

"Weiss." Winter's voice cut through Weiss' thoughts, returning her to reality. Winter's gaze had not moved from whatever she was looking at. "While we may both be women, and sisters at that, it is rather unbecoming to stare so intensely at another woman's breasts."

"U-uh." Weiss stuttered, completely taken by surprise. Her face had grown red and sweat was building in her palms from embarrassment. Winter's expression remained unchanged, her eyes still staring at some far off point. "Sorry." Weiss finally mumbled.

"Speak louder."

"Sorry!" A small smile danced on Winter's lips, disappearing as soon as it came. The silence immediately returned to the room. After a few seconds, Winter picked up her scroll and began reading her speech again.

A few minutes later, Weiss finally built up the courage to speak.

"H-how is work?" Weiss silently berated herself for stuttering. Winter looked up from her tablet, her expression indicating she was amazed that Weiss had spoken. This did nothing to help Weiss' self-confidence.

"Fine." Winter replied, before returning to her scroll. At this point, Weiss wanted to die from embarrassment. Winter was obviously in no mood to talk, yet Weiss had gone ahead and tried to instigate conversation. Before Weiss could smash her head (figuratively of course) into the table, Winter suddenly added, as if it was an afterthought. "How is Beacon?"

"Good." Weiss responded. The silence returned, even stronger than ever. After a few moments, Winter sighed and turned her scroll off. Placing it on the table, Winter adjusted her seat so that she was facing Weiss directly.

"A bit of elaboration would be welcome." Winter folded her arms on the table, her eyes piercing into Weiss. Weiss felt herself shrink slightly underneath Winter's gaze.

"Well...I'm on a team called RWBY."

"The leader of which is who?"

"Our leader's called Ruby Rose-" Weiss waited for Winter to make a comment on how Weiss should have become leader, but to her surprise Winter remained silent. "-she's got this crazily large scythe-sniper rifle-thing and an inexhaustible appetite for cookies-" Weiss couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Ruby's blood sugar levels. "-but any sort of sweets tend to work with that girl. She's a total dunce, without any ability for tactical planning, but I'd trust her with my life." Weiss finished, realising she'd been rambling a bit.

"A good choice of leader then." Winter commented. "And your other teammates?"

"Well there's Ruby's sister, Yang. She's rude and crude, with a preference for incredibly inappropriate puns and jokes. Her fighting style has no class or grace to it, befitting a street brawler more then a young lady." Weiss realised she'd said nothing positive about Yang. Feeling a bit guilty, she quickly added."-but she's someone who I'd want to watch my back in a fight. She took out an Atlesian Paladin by herself once! Plus, she can be funny...on occasion."

"Interesting. How about the B in _RWBY_? I assume she's also a girl."

"Yes. Blake Belladonna." Weiss wondered how exactly she should explain the former White Fang member. Winter's job was basically to hunt and kill White Fang members. If she knew that Blake was a former member…. "Well, she's quiet. Likes to read a lot. Can handle herself in a fight. Probably uses one of the most complex weapons I've ever seen. Hates Ruby's dog like the plague."

"Dog?" Winter raised a single eyebrow. "You have a dog in your room?"

"Yes!" Weiss' eyes begun to sparkle as she drew her scroll from her pocket. "His name is Zwei and he's the cutest thing in the woooorld!"

The next few minutes were dedicated to Weiss showing Winter pictures of Zwei, all the while bragging about how cute and adorable the puppy was.

Winter listened for a few minutes more, before standing up without warning. Weiss, realising that she'd been rambling, immediately looked down at the table. She was expecting Winter to chastise her for her actions, to say something about her actions causing the Schnee family to lose face.

"I need to go." Winter said simply, surprising Weiss. Winter slid her scroll into her pocket and stood up. "Perhaps we will continue this conversation another time, little sister."

With that said, Winter stepped out of the tent, leaving Weiss alone to contemplate her big sister's words.

As Weiss mentally ran through the conversation, she realised that Winter had ended by calling her 'little sister' instead of the more formal 'Weiss'. A smile grew on Weiss' face at this fact.

Perhaps past mistakes could be fixed after all.

* * *

"Cass!" Cassian froze upon hearing the familiar voice. It was a melodic voice, the kind which brought happy thoughts to one's mind. In Cassian's case, it brought back memories of the Academy, of his time spent with a certain silver-haired girl- "Caaasss~!"

"Lieutenant-Colonel." Cassian turned around and smiled at the short girl standing in front of him. "Congratulations on your promotion."

Silvers inflated her cheeks and crossed her arms, an annoyed expression on her face. Cassian couldn't help but notice the uncanny resemblance that Silvers had to Winter when she made that expression. Though Silvers was completely flat, while Winter was most definitely not.

"Cass! Why are you being so formal to me!" Silvers suddenly playfully punched Cassian in the chest, before hugging him tightly. "It's been so looong!"

"..." Cassian looked down at Silvers, who was currently rubbing her face against his collarbone. She was the living ideal of a cute girl who every guy wanted to spoil. Cassian however, was perfectly aware of Silvers _other side_ , who was a malicious and mischievous individual with an almost unhealthy need to be the centre of attention. "You haven't been causing trouble for Ms. Schnee have you?"

Silvers looked up at Cassian, her red eyes giving him the most innocent look possible. "Do you think I'd do that to someone as wonderful and pretty as Winter-"

"Without a doubt." Cassian replied, completely unaffected by her gaze.

Silvers pouted and buried her face back into Cassian's collarbone. Cassian could smell the scent of strawberries on Silvers' hair.

"You still use the same shampoo huh?" Cassian murmured, not expecting Silvers to hear.

"You noticed?" Silvers asked, surprised. Her usual cutesy voice was gone, replaced instead with a soft and quiet one. Her embarrassed voice, one that Cassian didn't hear very often. It wasn't easy to get Silvers Iscariot flustered.

"Of course." Cassian rubbed Silvers' back for a few minutes, before gently removing her arms from around his body. "We did date for nearly two years."

"Cassian." Silvers looked at Cassian. She was about a meter away from him, Cassian having taken a step back to make some space. "Do you really think everything between us is…?" Silvers trailed off, knowing that Cassian knew what she was asking.

"Yes." Cassian replied as gently as possible. Silvers blinked, not expecting such a firm answer. "I'm sorry Silvers-"

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Winter Schnee would it?" Silvers eyes flashed, something that was very startling considering her crimson irises. Cassian's face remained inscrutable. "Because when I mentioned our relationship to her-"

"You did what!?" Cassian shouted in alarm, causing Silvers to flinch and step back. Realising what he'd done, Cassian immediately shook his head to clear it, before continuing more quietly. "Why did you do that?"

"Well I was curious if the rumors about your relationship were true, but since she's always denied it, I thought the best way would be to-"

"-mention our relationship and judge her reaction." Cassian finished. He couldn't help but appreciate the irony that Silvers had used a mental technique that _he_ had taught her back in the Academy. "So, what happened?"

"Well if looks could kill…" Silvers laughed at the memory. "I actually was so scared that she'd snap my neck with her bare hands."

The scary thing was that both Silvers and Cassian knew that Winter was perfectly capable of such an action.

"Ugh." Cassian ran his hand through his hair. "Did she say anything else?" _Like whether I was going to be broiled or burned alive?_

"No." Silvers looked at Cassian curiously. "Is it safe to say that the rumors are true and that you two are dating-"

Cassian knew that any attempt to lie at this point was basically useless. Winter's reaction had already pretty much blown away any doubts that Silvers had about them dating. Cassian's reaction to the news had only reinforced the point.

"Silvers, can you please keep it a secret-"

"Oh so it is true!?" Silvers eyes widened. "So she really is pregnant with your-"

"No! That bit isn't true!" Silvers giggled at Cassian's frantic and panic-filled reaction.

"OK, ok." Silvers laughed, patting Cassian on the shoulder. "So you guys are dating, but she isn't preggies."

"So you'll keep it a secret?" Noticing Silvers' look of contemplation, Cassian quickly added. "Please Silvers!"

Silvers continued to think, her eyes staring at a point behind Cassian. Suddenly, her eyes lit up in a way that filled Cassian with dread. A mischievous smile grew on her face.

"OK, I'll keep it a secret, on one condition." Cassian sighed, having expected this outcome.

"Which is?"

"Kiss me." Silvers' cheeks flushed a bit pink, but her mischievous grin remained.

"What." Cassian blinked. He had expected being her bitch for a day or two. "OK, so on the cheek-"

"No." Silvers puckered up. "On the lips. With tongue."

"...I literally told you fifteen seconds ago that I had a girlfriend."

"And I agreed to keep that a secret."

"Yet you're making me cheat on her with you?"

"Don't look at it like that~"

"There isn't any other way to look at it-!" Cassian shouted, exasperated. An awkward silence sat between the two of them for a while, before Silvers broke it.

"Consider it a goodbye gift from me then." Silvers said softly, her voice very serious. "One for the road, as they say."

Cassian fell silent. Silvers expression spoke volumes about what she really meant, the unspoken words and feelings.

"...So closure for the both of us then?" Cassian said finally.

"Exactly." Silvers gave Cassian the saddest smile he had ever seen. "Closure."

"Fine." Cassian leaned forward, only to nearly gasp when Silvers smashed her lips onto his. He didn't even have a chance to struggle as Silvers' arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Silvers' tongue immediately begun to explore the inside of Cassian's mouth.

After a few minutes, Cassian broke away from Silvers' grasp and pulls away, gasping in the process. A thin line of drool connects their two mouths, physical evidence of what the two had just done.

"..." Cassian took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he'd kissed Silvers, and the experience was just as intense as he remembered. "Well that was...nostalgic." Cassian admitted, wiping the drool from his lips.

"Indeed." Silvers replied, wiping her eyes. Touching his cheeks, Cassian realised that they were wet. "Well, see you around Colonel."

"Silvers-"

"Good luck with Winter! You're going to need it!" With that said, Silvers spun around and ran off, leaving Cassian to contemplate the meaning behind her words.

As it happened, he didn't have to think about it for very long.

A cold wind blew against Cassian's back, sending shivers up his spine. There was only one person he knew with the ability to actually cause drops in temperature. With absolute terror running through his veins, Cassian slowly turned around.

Only to be greeted by the Devil herself.

"Colonel." Winter said. Her tone appeared nonchalant, but Cassian could sense the anger burning behind it. Her face seemed its usual cold and regal self, but the cold fire of fury was clearly visible in her eyes. "We need to talk. Now."

 _Hell Hath no Fury like a Woman scorned._

* * *

 **A short chapter this time! I feel like I've made it so Cassian is in the worst possible situation that could ever occur. Though, it is nice that Weiss and Winter have sort of begun to talk a bit, right?**

 **Ferris**


	6. Fragments: Children

**Hey it's Ferris. I felt kind of bad about the short chapter, so I decided to upload this random piece of fluff to (kind of) make it up to you! This was originally meant to be a scene in Chapter 1/2, but I ultimately took it out because the flow seemed a bit off. So yes, this event either occurs between chapters 1 and 2 (basically the night that Winter and Cassian arrive in Vale) or a little before they actually arrive. I may post other "fragments" that have very little to do with the actual story (or they may, but you just don't know it yet :D). These fragments can be fluffy, bittersweet, funny or just plain stupid. Hope you enjoy them!**

 **Fragments#1**

 **Children**

"Have you ever thought about having kids?" Winter, upon hearing Cassian's question, nearly spat her tea out in surprise.

"C-Cassian!?" Winter stammered, her face going as red as a tomato. She placed her tea cup on her bedside table and wrapped herself in the sheets.

"Hmm?" Cassian looked up from his scroll. "What?"

"Y-you-" Winter placed her hands on her cheeks and shook her head, as if her brain had short-circuited. "I-I'm not mentally prepared for this!"

"Oh, I didn't mean us." The moment those words left Cassian's lips, he immediately regretted it. The room's temperature immediately dropped several degrees, to the point that Cassian was shivering. "...Winter."

"What?" Winter huffed, crossing her arms and turning away from Cassian.

"You're obviously annoyed about my comment."

"No I'm not!"

"We both know you cause the surrounding temperature to fall dramatically when you're mad."

"It's not like I'm insulted that you don't want to have a c-child with me!" Winter sounded as if she was about to cry. "I mean, I know I have some faults-"

"..." Without warning, Cassian silently slipped into bed and wrapped his arms around Winter. Winter, having been facing the other way, gasped in surprise. "I'm sorry."

"H-hmmph!" Winter tried to hide the blush in her cheeks. "I'm not going to forgive you just like that-!?" Whatever Winter was about to say was cut off when Cassian gently pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in shock, before glazing over in pleasure.

After a few minutes, they separated. Both Winter and Cassian were red-faced and panting, obvious lust for each other in their eyes.

"I'm sorry." Cassian said, gently brushing Winter's white hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just think...it's a bit early to be thinking about that. Your father already hates our relationship as it is. If you were to have my child, I'd hate to think of what he'd do to you."

"What if I wanted it?" Winter pushed Cassian onto the bed, straddling his stomach. "What if I told you I _wanted_ your child?"

"I'd be the happiest man in the world." Cassian said simply. "But I'd be the saddest as well."

"Why?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to see my child's face."

Winter fell silent. While her father _may_ (with heavy emphasis on the may) not do anything to Winter, Cassian was fair game. And if he was already willing to kill Cassian if their relationship become confirmed…Winter didn't even need to guess what he'd do if he found out Cassian had impregnated his daughter.

"Then let's run-"

"No." Cassain placed his finger on Winter's lips. "What kind of life would our child have if we made the Schnee our enemies? Always running? Never having a place to call home?"

"Are you saying it's impossible then?" All the energy seemed to leave Winter in the face of such a harsh reality. "That we'll never have a family together? Ever?"

"I'm not saying that." Cassian grabbed Winter and pulled her close, so that their foreheads were touching. Their faces, mere millimeters apart, were encapsulated in a hut of Winter's hair. "I swear to you, Winter Schnee, that I, Cassian Gray, will one day marry you and have a family." Cassian smiled as Winter's eyes filled with tears of happiness. Her mouth contorted into the most beautiful smile that Cassian had ever seen. "Of course, this all depends if you-"

"Of course I accept!" Winter slammed her mouth into his, eliciting an _ouch!_ from Cassian. After a tear-stained and very messy kiss, Winter pulled away. "Of course I'll say yes, you dummy."

The two of them later spent the night...um 'enjoying' each others company.

 **This is a good break from Cassian being roasted, isn't it?**


	7. Falling

**Well a new chapter has arrived! I've been trying to keep the character development natural-feeling, but since I'm not 100% sure if I am, please do comment if you notice anything that feels a bit..rushed/forced. Thanks so much! Now onto the next chapter!**

Cassian was trying his best to look calm and collected, but it was very difficult when he knew about his impending doom. He was standing to the side of the courtyard, giving him a perfect vantage point of the rapidly filling up seating area. At the far end of the courtyard a small pedestal had been set up. Winter sat on a chair next to the pedestal, her gaze focused solely on him.

Cassian had been unable to explain exactly why he'd been making out with his ex-girlfriend, as an Atlesian soldier had come along right after Silvers disappeared to tell them that they were almost ready to start. Winter had thus been whisked away, but not before she made it very clear that the two of them would have a long chat once they returned to the hotel.

Even from this distance, Cassian could feel an unnatural chill run through the crowd. While it was nearly winter, Cassian knew that the chill was Winter's doing. Her semblance, unlike her younger sister's, allowed her to _directly_ manipulate temperature. While it may not have been as versatile as Weiss' glyphs, Winter's semblance made Winter an absolute demon in combat, with or without her weapon. There was a reason that she was called the _Mistress of Ice and Snow_ back in Atlas.

"And now her rage is directed at me." Cassian muttered under his breath. Not that he blamed her of course. If he had seen her passionately making out with an ex-lover, especially after all they'd been through together, he would have been very pissed. Cassian couldn't help but feel some measure of self-hate for his actions, which in his eyes were incredible douchey. "Even if I explained the circumstances behind why that happened, I don't think she'd believe me. Heck, even I wouldn't believe me!"

"I'd believe you." A very familiar mischievous voice said from behind Cassian. Thin arms wrapped around Cassian's waist. "Hey Cass."

"Silvers…" Cassian looked over his shoulder at the short girl who was currently embracing him. "Do you want to die?"

"Wow, death threats already?"

"Not from me!" Cassian shot a fervent glance at Winter. She had been holding a complimentary plastic water bottle in her right hand, which was now ruined. The plastic had ruptured, the water inside having turned to ice and expanded. As Cassian watched, Winter crushed the ice into tiny fragments, her expression never changing. The message however, was very, very clear. "If you don't let go of me, Winter is going to kill us both."

"Over a harmless prank?" Silvers pouted. "Cassian, I think you deserve someone with a sense of humor-"

"First, that was anything but a harmless prank." Cassian felt his face grow colder. Running his hand through his hair, he noted the frost that was beginning to build up. "Second, I thought you agreed that anything between us was done once I kissed you."

"Brrrr, it's cold." Silvers, completely ignoring Cassian, instead choose to snuggle deeper into his back. At the same time, Cassian noticed tiny snowflakes beginning to fall throughout the courtyard.

"Winter is making if _friggin snow_!" Cassian hissed. Around him, students were commenting on the early snowfall. Some were squealing in delight at how pretty it was, while others were praying for a snow day. "If she gets even madder, she'll summon a bloody blizzard!"

"She can do that?" Silvers asked.

"She can and more." Cassian shuddered at the last time Winter had lost her temper. The ice pillar had been pretty, save for the fact it had added an extra six stories to a seventy story building. "Do you see now who you've pissed off?"

" _We've_ pissed off." Silvers corrected him, finally letting him go. "She's mad at you as well."

Cassian wondered if his day could get any worse. As it happened, it could.

"Hello Colonel." Weiss Schnee suddenly appeared in front of Cassian. Behind her stood Yang. On either side of Yang stood a black haired girl with a matching bow, and a short girl with black hair with a reddish tint. "I just wanted to introduce the rest of my team."

"Hi!" The short girl said, waving her hand. Cassian noted the red hood that was clasped around her shoulders. Along with the numerous ammo clips on her belt. "My name's Ruby!"

"Blake." The girl with the bow said quietly. Cassian found himself drawn to her bow, specifically how it seemed to be unnaturally still considering the cold wind that was blowing through the courtyard.

"And I-"

"He already knows you Yang." Weiss cut in, not wanting Yang to cause another spectacle. Or imply that she was stealing her sister's boyfr-bodyguard. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you."

"That's-" Cassian could feel Winter's gaze on him. It was not a nice feeling, since it caused his body temperature to plummet a good three degrees or so. "-completely unnecessary Ms. Schnee. It is my pleasure to serve the Schnee family."

"Wow, he's really whipped isn't he?" Yang noted, shivering a bit. "Geez, it's getting cold."

"Maybe you should consider wearing more clothing." Blake commented dryly.

"But these babies need to get their air!" Yang jiggled her breasts a bit, before giving Cassian a wink. "I'm sure the Colonel here will agree~"

"..." Cassian felt his body temperature drop another two degrees or so. Depending on how he responded (and more importantly, how Winter interpreted his response via body language), Cassian would either survive this ordeal or get turned into a popsicle. Luckily, his scroll begun to ring, saving him from having to construct a coherent rebuttal to Yang's teasing. "Sorry, I need to take this." Cassian woke up his scroll, only to be greeted by a single line of text.

 _Proximity alarms activated._

Cassian's mind flashed back to his early morning climb. He hadn't chosen the climb solely for the exercise. Cassian had also been testing whether or not it was possible for an individual (such as a Faunus) to climb up to Beacon with a weapon. The cliffs were reputed to be impossible to climb, but Cassian had learned long ago never to trust hearsay. Hence throughout the climb, Cassian had been placing tiny proximity alarms along the cliffside, in the off chance that if an attacker attempted to infiltrate Beacon via the cliffs, he would be alerted.

"Damn." Cassian breathed, noting that the air came out white. "Silvers, we have a potential infiltration via the Beacon cliffs."

Silvers immediately snapped to attention, her body language and expression becoming that of a highly trained soldier. No matter how she acted, Silvers was ultimately a Hunter from Atlas. "Estimated time till arrival?"

"Twenty minutes tops." Cassian checked the scroll again. The intruders had just set off the first set of alarms, which were located thirty minutes from the top of the cliff. Taking into account that the intruders were most likely White Fang (and hence were more physically gifted than humans), Cassian estimated that they'd be able to finish the climb even faster than he had. "I'll move to intercept them. Hopefully I can get rid of them without causing a scene."

"Get rid of who?" Weiss, having heard only parts of Cassian and Silvers' fevered discussion, exclaimed. "Are we under-"

"Please remain calm." Silvers interrupted, gently escorting Weiss and the rest of Team RWBY to the seating area. "The Colonel will take care of everything."

Looking back, Silvers realised that Cassian had already disappeared.

* * *

Within a few minutes, Cassian had arrived at Velvet's garden. Checking his scroll, he noted that the third set of alarms had gone off. The intruders were probably five minutes away from reaching the top of the cliff. Reaching behind his back, Cassian drew Regis Damocles from its sheath.

The blade shined in the morning light. Designed by the Atlas Military's Special Weapons Projects Team, Regis Damocles (or Damocles, as Cassian called it), was made from a special mix of metals that Cassian himself didn't understand. The blade itself was dark gray, with miniscule whorls and patterns on the steel, courtesy of its long and labor-intensive smelting process. The hilt, crossguard and rainguard of the sword were made of a carbon-steel based alloy, making it charcoal black in appearance.

Cassian remembered when Winter first saw him swinging Damocles back in the Academy. At the time, their relationship had been good, but not romantic in any way.

" _Is that your new weapon Cassian?" Winter asked. The two of them were in one of the Atlas training rooms._

" _Yes ma'am." Cassian replied, giving Damocles a few more practice swings. While the Academy demanded that all trainees in the same year treat each other equally, Cassian still referred to Winter as ma'am in private, something that he knew annoyed her to no end._

" _It's different from your old weapon." Cassian thought back to his old weapon, an [Automated Turret Cannon Lance]. "What does it transform into?"_

" _Nothing." Winter raised an eyebrow. "Damocles doesn't have an alternative form at all."_

" _...So it's a sword?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Nothing else? No dust, gun or anything similar?"_

" _None at all."_

" _So what does...it do then? I mean, if it was designed by the Atlas Special Weapons Project Team, it must have-"_

" _It cuts stuff."_

" _And…?"_

" _Stabs stuff?"_

" _Anything else?"_

" _Um...does vivisections...on stuff...?"_

" _...it really is just a sword isn't it?"_

Cassian looked at his trusty sword. Despite its lack of an alternative form, he had still managed to become one of the best students in his graduating class in Atlas.

The sound of grunting, as well as the vibrations of Cassian's scroll, indicated that the intruders had arrived. His sword hanging loosely in his right hand, Cassian watched as several individuals climbed into Velvet's garden.

The intruders were dressed in White Fang outfits. Numerous weapons, ranging from guns to knives, were strapped onto each of the intruders' bodies.

Cassian patiently waited for them to notice him. It didn't take very long. Like all Faunus, the White Fang member's had enhanced smell. After a few seconds, they realised that there was someone standing there who was most definitely _not_ a Faunus.

"Who are you-" One of the White Fang asked, only to fall silent upon seeing the crest on Cassian's breast. "Pale Horse!" The White Fang snarled, drawing his knife. The others, upon hearing the name of the Schnee's military wing, also drew their weapons.

"Hi there." Cassian said, completely unperturbed. "My name is Cassian Gr-"

"The White Knight!?" Before Cassian could finish his introduction, three of the White Fang had rushed him. "For our brethren-"

"Tch!" Cassian's right arm blurred. In an instant, he had disarmed all three of the White Fang, having used Damocles' flat end to break their hands. Their shrills screams echoed through the clearing. "Damn it! I was going to tell you to surrender and-"

"Let you kill us?! As if!" Another two White Fang sprinted forward, knives aimed to run Cassian through. "For the White Fang!"

"No, I was going to say-" Cassian sidestepped both lunges, before using his free hand to grab one of the White Fang member's weapon hand. With a brutal twist, he dislocated the Faunus' thumb, causing him to drop his knife and scream in pain. "-you'd be treated in a way that follows the Faunus Rights convention of-"

"Ha! A member of Pale Horse telling _us_ about Faunus rights?! Do you remember Galantine!?" Cassian winced. Galantine was a region in Vacuo where the Schnee Dust Company had a major Dust mine. A few years back, an uprising had occurred among its Faunus workers about the slave-like working conditions they had to endure. A Pale Horse detachment, unit name [Vanagandr], had been sent to stop the uprising.

To make a long story short, they had. Violently. Cassian remembered Winter's fury upon hearing how the [Vanagandr] had deliberately escalated the situation in order to provide justification for its extreme violence. She had tried to have the members tried, only to be met from resistance from someone "with higher authority than her".

In other words, the Schnee Patriarch.

"...So is this in retaliation for Galantine?" Cassian asked, his blade facing point down.

"Yes!" One of the two remaining terrorists hissed. "We'll kill the Schnee who was responsible for this ourselves!"

Cassian knew that any attempt to persuade them that Winter was not to blame would be useless. "It isn't like I don't understand your sentiment."

"Huh?"

"I too feel anger when Faunus are injured and killed without reason." The two Faunus felt a chill run down their spines. Their animal sides were screaming at them to flee. "Like I said before, I intended to incapacitate you, out of respect for my belief. You'd spend sometime in hospital, but ultimately you'd survive without any permanent injuries."

Cassian pointed Damocles at the two Faunus. "But then you said something that changed things."

Suddenly, Cassian was standing next to the two Faunus. He had, in an instant, seemingly teleported next to the two White Fang members.

"You said you'd kill Winter Schnee." Cassian whispered softly. The two Faunus, sensing incredible danger, immediately slashed at Cassian.

 _Snick._

* * *

Weiss Schnee watched as General Ironwood finished his speech. She, along with the rest of the audience, clapped politely.

"Mughnh?" Ruby suddenly snorted, jolted awake by the sound of applause. "I wasn't sleeping, I promise!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. While the General's speech had been both long and full of praise for Atlas' military power, it was not proper for her leader to simply fall asleep halfway through the speech. Especially considering that Team RWBY were seated in the _front row_.

This seating arrangement had been decided by Lieutenant-Colonel Silvers, who had stated that for 'security reasons' it was best for Team RWBY to be as close to the stage as possible. Weiss had tried to push for more details about where Cassian had went, but Silvers was adamant that Weiss not get involved. The moment Team RWBY was seated, the Lieutenant-Colonel had disappeared.

"Well, I guess since nothing happened…" Weiss mumbled to herself. Her eyes moved to her sister. Winter hadn't moved a muscle since the presentation begun. Her gaze was frigid, but Weiss could tell that she wasn't staring at anything in particular.

"-and that concludes my speech." With a start, Weiss realised that Professor Ozpin had already finished speaking. "Now then, please welcome Ms. Winter Schnee from the Schnee Dust Industries."

A smattering of applause. Weiss watched as her sister stood up and walked to the pedestal. Without even looking around, Weiss knew that the eyes of every single person was focused on Winter.

Her gait, her presence, her frown. Weiss could hear a few very disturbing murmurs from the boys behind her.

"Good morning, Hunters and Huntresses in training." Winter's voice echoed throughout the courtyard. It was a voice that demanded obedience, yet at the same time indicated dissatisfaction. Weiss could hear the boys' fantasies get progressively more disturbing and specific. "As I am sure you are aware. my name is Winter Schnee."

"Hey Snow Angel." A voice whispered into Weiss' ear, causing her to jolt in surprise. Twisting around, she found herself staring at Team SSSN, specifically Neptune. "You have a prett-"

"You were the ones who were muttering about having my sister step on you and call you trash!?" Weiss hissed. Neptune looked at Sun who looked at Scarlet who looked at Sage. Sage blushed.

"..." Weiss gave him a look that indicated just how deplorable she found him.

"W-what?" Sage asked defensibly. "Scarlet agreed with me!"

"I did not." Scarlet replied. "I said that she'd look amazing in a leather and latex catsuit with a whip in hand."

"Mmm I can see that actually." Sun agreed, only to shrink in his seat when Blake gave him a scathing look.

"Anyways Snow Angel-" Neptune gave Weiss a grin. "-how'd you like to be my date to the Vytal Festival Dance?"

"Wait, we're having another dance?" Yang asked, surprised. "Didn't Weiss and I just plan one?"

"Yeah, apparently this one is a super formal one for all the Hunters and Huntresses who came for the festival." Sun smiled at Blake. "So Blake, how about you and I take on the dance floor again?"

"Sun, I think you'll need a suit to get in."

"Hey, I can wear a suit!"

"What you wore last time doesn't constitute a suit."

"What!?" Sun sounded genuinely surprised that his previous outfit hadn't been considered formal wear. "Seriously-mugnah!?" Whatever Sun was about to say was immediately cut off when a pile of snow landed on his head.

"As I was saying." Winter's voice cut in, causing both Team SSSN and Team RWBY to stiffen. "A Hunter must always be focused on the task at hand. A single mistake on the battlefield could lead to crippling injury or death. You all, as defenders of humanity, must accept that you may die any day. With that in mind, I would like to finish with a piece of personal advice."

For a moment, Weiss thought she saw Winter hesitate before she continued.

"Seize the day. Speak your mind. Form bonds. Forgive your loved ones. Because you never know when you'll no longer be able to. Thank you." Weiss swore that Winter's gaze had locked on her as she finished.

As Winter returned to her seat amidst the applause, Weiss wondered whether Winter had wanted someone in particular to heed or hear her words.

* * *

Cassian Gray thought he was going to die. As he leaned backwards, Cassian felt the chainsaw's blades narrowly miss the tip of his nose.

"Damn!" Cassian flipped backwards, creating distance between him and his new opponent. He hadn't even noticed the newcomer until the chainsaw was mere inches from his face. "You're not like the others are you!?"

Cassian's new opponent simply rolled his shoulders and rotated his neck. He was dressed in a similar manner to the other White Fang that Cassian had dispatched, save for a far more elaborate mask. Also, Cassian noted, he was bloody massive. His weapon, a chainsaw with an extended blade, was gripped tightly in the man's right hand.

"I'm no pushover White Knight." The White Fang member rumbled. Looking around, Cassian realised that the other White Fang members he had incapacitated had been murdered. Apparently this particular White Fang member didn't take survivors very well.

"OK so you obviously know who I am." Cassian took his typical combat stance, with Damocles pointed down and hanging loosely in his right hand, and his left hand held in front of his body. "But I have no clue who you are."

"Lieutenant." The man replied, before rushing forward. Cassian immediately sidestepped, but winced as the man's fist caught him in the ribs.

"You're pretty fast for a big guy." Cassian stumbled backwards, his ribs stinging. He had mistimed exactly how quick the man could sprint.

"And you're slow." The chainsaw was swung again, this time at Cassian's neck. Cassian immediately parried with Damocles, his arm nearly going numb underneath the sheer force of the blow. "And weak."

"Well I'm sorry." Cassian stepped back, dodging another swipe by a hair-breadth. "But I'm just a normal human after all."

"No you aren't." The man continued his assault, Cassian weaving or parrying the attacks. "You're Cassian Gray, the White Knight of the Schnee and a Colonel in the Atlas Army."

"Ex-Colonel." Cassian corrected. He could feel his arm shudder with each blow. "And I don't see-"

"You've become weak Colonel!" The Lieutenant's strength suddenly tripled, his next blow sending Damocles flying out of Cassian's hand. Before Cassian could react, a hand grabbed him by the neck, before smashing his body into the ground.

Cassian gasped in pain, blood spraying out of his mouth as his organs bled. The ground beneath him cracked under the sheer force of the Lieutenant's smash.

"We fought once, back when you were a Colonel in the army." The Lieutenant's grip was like iron, constricting Cassian's windpipe and preventing him from breathing properly. "I remember you effortlessly cutting down my allies without mercy."

"I did?" Cassian grinned. His hands suddenly blurred, his leg striking the Lieutenant in the chest. A second later, the Lieutenant found himself on the ground, Cassian straddling his chest. A reversal technique. "Well you must have threatened Winter then."

The Lieutenant tried to grab Cassian's neck, only to grab at thin air. At the same time, Cassian smashed his fingers into a pressure point in the Lieutenant's pectoral, causing the White Fang member to cough up blood.

"Payback." Cassian said simply, only to be sent flying when the Lieutenant suddenly leaped up with a roar. Using his hand to brace his fall, Cassian landed in a crouch a few meters away. Behind him, less than a meter away, were the Beacon cliffs. "Now then, did you say you were planning to kill Winter? Because that's a death sentence in my book."

"All Schnee are enemies of the White Fang!" The Lieutenant roared. "We will never stop until they're dead!"

"Really?" Cassian raised his fists in an unarmed combat stance. "Then I'll just have to keep killing you all until there aren't any of you left."

The Lieutenant coughed again, spewing drops of his blood all over Velvet's garden. Suddenly, the man charged at Cassian. "For the White Fang!"

Cassian raised his arms to block the blow, only to yell in surprise when the Lieutenant shoved him _off the cliff_.

"What the Oum!?" Cassian shouted, as he and the Lieutenant begun to fall. Cassian remembered his previous calculations about how there was no chance in Hell of him surviving a fall from the cliffs. "AHHHHHH!"

* * *

Winter listened as Ozpin gave his closing remarks. She was still trying to figure out what had possessed her to say what she had said at the end. Those last few words had most definitely not been in the speech Cassian gave her.

Winter resisted the urge to grab her head and shake it. She knew _exactly_ why she had said what she'd said. This was the first time since they'd started dating that she'd ever had an _actual_ fight with Cassian. That, coupled with her conversation with Weiss, had made Winter a melting pot of numerous emotions, a number of which she'd never felt before.

This abnormal condition had actually affected her public persona and made her unconsciously speak her mind. Luckily, the context of the speech had actually matched what she had said, so there was no harm done, at least publically. Internally however, Winter was anything but alright.

Winter wanted nothing more but to make up with Cassian, but at the same time she didn't want to make it easy. In the end, Cassian had made out with his ex-girlfriend. Winter may not have had much experience in love, but she was certain that sort of behaviour was not acceptable.

"I wonder what he wanted to say." Winter mumbled to herself, something she never did in public. Cassian had been about to say something before they'd been interrupted by the Atlesian soldier. "It seemed important."

Winter allowed herself a few moments to mentally mull over her options.

"I'll make sure to hear what he has to say." Winter finally told herself. She trusted Cassian implicitly after all. Considering what they'd gone through together, there was no doubt in Winter's mind of Cassian's loyalty to her. Hence, whatever Cassian said was the reason behind his actions, Winter would take as the truth. In her heart, she knew that Cassian would never do anything to hurt her. "That's what a girlfriend does, right?"

Her mind significantly calmer, Winter turned her attention to the other reason for her emotional turmoil.

Weiss was still seated in the courtyard. At the moment, she was yelling at one of her teammates (Winter recalled that Weiss had mentioned a girl called Yang. She was guessing that was who Weiss was yelling at). As Winter watched, a blue-haired boy suddenly said something to Weiss. Weiss immediately stopped talking and looked away, hiding her face away from her friends.

Winter however, could clearly see the red-tinge on Weiss' face. Weiss, noticing Winter's gaze, looked up at her older sister. Her face blushed crimson upon realising that Winter could see everything.

Winter smiled at her sister, causing Weiss to look away bashfully, before resuming her conversation with her friends.

After a few moments, Winter suddenly thought of something. A small smile danced on her lips as she stood up and approached her sister. As she approached, Winter noticed how the boy's slowly stopped talking and focused on her instead. She found it amusing.

"Little sister." Winter said, placing her hand gently on Weiss' shoulder. "I apologise for interrupting your conversation."

"Winter." Weiss said, sounding surprised. "I really enjoyed your speech. I thought it was very moving."

"Is that so?" Winter chuckled, surprising herself. She _never_ laughed in public. "I'm glad. Though, I did not come here to ask you about that."

Winter glanced over at Weiss' friends, who were trying to best to act like they weren't listening in on their conversation, before returning her gaze to Weiss.

"Spar with me little sister."

Winter couldn't help but laugh when she saw the surprised reaction on Weiss' face, as well as the looks of joyful expectation on Weiss' friend's faces.

 _There were things which could only be understood through conflict._

That was something Winter had learnt from Cassian.

* * *

"Ugh." Cassian rubbed his aching head. "What happened…?"

"Colonel!" Yin's voice said in alarm. Looking up, Cassian saw Yin standing over him. "Are you alright?!"

"Hmm?" Cassian flailed around for a bit, checking if he had injured anything. Satisfied that he was alright, Cassian pushed himself up into a seated position. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Thank Oum." Yin breathed a sigh of relief. "I managed to grab you before you'd fallen too far, but by then you were already unconscious."

"Fallen too...far?" Cassian's eyes widened as he remembered his fall. "Yin, what happened to the other person who fell!?"

"Other person?" Yin tilted his head in confusion. "Colonel, you were the only one I saw when I dropped down after you."

"Really?" Cassian scratched his chin. Teleportation abilities were incredibly rare. Off the top of his head, Cassian could only think of a handful. "Nevermind then. We'll worry about it later."

"Very well." Yin stuck his hand out, which Cassian gratefully grabbed. With a single pull, Yin pulled Cassian to his feet. "You'll be glad to know Colonel that the presentation finished without a hitch. None of the White Fang infiltrators managed to make it even near the school."

"Good." Cassian brushed himself off. Looking around, he realised that he was in Velvet's garden. "Where is Ms. Schnee now then?"

"Both Ms. Schnees went towards the training arenas with a group of students."

Cassian, who had just located Damocles, froze.

"Did you say the training arenas?"

"Yes."

Cassian wondered what exactly had happened during the presentation that had led to Winter doing something so out of character.

"Yin."

"Yes Colonel?"

"Take me to them."

Cassian re-sheathed Damocles and slid his shades back over his eyes. Satisfied with his appearance, Cassian motioned for Yin to lead the way. The two of them immediately settled into a light jog, with Yin saying that they'd arrive at the training halls within fifteen minutes.

Hopefully no one would be dead or horribly injured by the time they arrived.

* * *

 **Ahahaha we still haven't gotten around to Winter and Cassian having their big argument/discussion! Though we're starting to get a feel for Weiss, which I think is good. Plus, it seems like Winter has sorted out her feelings regarding her sister...kind of? Well, the combat will help I'm sure!**

 **Ferris**


	8. Spar

Winter wasn't going to lie. Her motives for challenging Weiss to a spar weren't _completely_ pure. While she definitely wanted to try to get to know her sister, she was still mad at Cassian for the whole Silvers incident. Fighting with Weiss had just proven to be a convenient outlet for that rage. Kill two birds with one stone, so to say.

As Winter stepped into the arena, she noted the huge number of people in the stands. Apparently word had gotten around that the two Schnee sisters were sparring. Winter noted the presence of Ozpin and Ironwood, along with numerous other active-duty Hunters and Huntresses who had attended the presentation.

Luckily, there didn't seem to be any sort of press in attendance. Winter vaguely remembered Cassian mentioning that Ozpin had sworn that no press would be allowed into Beacon. She was glad that the headmaster had made good on the promise.

Winter couldn't help but smirk as she approached the centre of the arena. She hadn't had very many opportunities for combat in the past few months. Back in the Academy, Winter had been nigh-invincible in her year group. The only person who could potentially match her was Cassian, who had flat out refused to fight Winter, no matter how much she had pleaded and negotiated.

The one time she'd managed to get Cassian to fight her had been both a frustrating and humbling experience. Cassian had not attacked at all, instead choosing to dodge every single one of her attacks until she collapsed from exhaustion. Cassian had then poked Winter in the forehead, before leaving. She had found him later in his room, munching on an ice cream sandwich, not a drop of sweat or wound on his body to indicate the assault he had just endured.

Hence, the opportunity to have a good fight against her sister (who Winter assumed was one of the top Huntresses in her year) was incredibly appealing.

Without even realising it, Winter felt her blood beginning to boil, her smile growing in anticipation.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

Weiss watched as her sister walked, no _strutted_ into the arena. With each step, Weiss could feel a cold wind blow throughout the arena, courtesy of Winter's Semblance.

"Your sister is quite a drama queen is she not?" Professor Goodwitch, who was facilitating the match, muttered to Weiss.

"I am honestly not sure." Weiss responded. Goodwitch huffed.

"Well, I hope that you give her a good whack or two." Weiss blinked, surprised by Goodwitch's words. "I've caught Ozpin and Ironwood staring at her butt six times in the past thirty seconds."

Weiss resisted the urge to laugh at Goodwitch's comment. Goodwitch, noticing the younger Schnee's mirth, gave her a tiny smile, only to replace it with a frown once Winter arrived.

"Hello little sister." Winter inclined her head to Weiss, before turning to Glynda. "Hello Ms…?"

"Goodwitch." Professor Goodwitch responded. "Professor Goodwitch."

"Ah, you're my sister's combat professor." Winter turned her gaze to Weiss. "I hope my sister hasn't been causing you any trouble."

"Ms. Schnee is one of the finest huntresses in her year." Weiss felt herself blush at the praise.

"Is that so?" Winter smiled. Weiss, upon seeing the smile, couldn't help but shiver. It wasn't the smile that Weiss was used to seeing on Winter, the one which showed controlled bemusement. This smile, in Weiss' eyes, seemed to indicate that Winter had found favorable prey. "Well, I suppose I will soon find out."

"Indeed you will." Professor Goodwitch took a step back and pressed a few buttons on her scroll. Immediately, Winter and Weiss' faces appeared on the large screen around the arena, along with a green bar representing their respective auras. "Now, the rules are simple. Fight until one of you either forfeits or completely depletes their aura. All techniques, whether with weapons, hand-to-hand or semblances, are allowed. Now-"

Weiss drew Myrtenaster from its sheath, finding solace in the familiar weight of her blade.

Winter however, simply remained standing, her hands crossed over her bosom. The same feral smile danced on her lips as she watched her sister take a combat stance.

"-begin!" Goodwitch shouted.

Cheers immediately filled the arena as the battle between the two sisters finally begun.

* * *

Cassian winced as he heard cheering emit from the training arenas. Yin and he were about five minutes away from the arenas, and there were already throngs of students heading to watch the match.

After a few minutes, Cassian and Yin were forced to slow to a walk, the sheer number of students making it near impossible for them to move any closer.

"Ugh." Cassian ran his hand through his hair. "I hope Ms. Schnee doesn't get carried away."

"In what sense?" Yin asked. He was currently trying to find an alternative route into the building.

"Ms. Schnee tends to be very calm and collected in most situations." Cassian begun to explain with a resigned look on his face. "However, whenever she does certain things that gets her blood pumping, such as combat-"

"-and sex." The way Yin had interjected so matter-of-factly nearly caused Cassian to trip in surprise. Noticing Cassian's reaction, Yin stopped and looked at the Colonel. "I assume that the two of you have partaken in that particular physical exercise? I'm led to believe that those in a relationship tend to use it as a method of showcasing their affection."

"W-wait what!?" Cassian glanced around to make sure no one had heard them. "Yin, what in Oum are you talking about!?"

"Colonel, you aren't very good at hiding things." Looking at Cassian's shocked face, Yin sighed. "Helaine and I know you and Ms. Winter Schnee are dating. We haven't told anyone, nor are we planning to."

"...Did Silvers tell you?"

"No. You have a tendency to smile to yourself whenever you talk about or hear Ms. Schnee's name. Also, Ms. Schnee seems to take an unusual amount of interest in anything related to you."

"Am I really that obvious?"

"Only to those who know you. Though I'm amazed that Lieutenant-Colonel Silvers hasn't done anything if she did know about the two of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, knowing the Lieutenant-Colonel's feelings towards you, if she knew you were dating Ms. Schnee... " Yin paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.. "-she'd probably, through methods unique to her, manage to get Ms. Schnee to see you and her in an incriminating position in order to spread chaos. She's later reinforce this by deliberately acting close to you in front of Ms. Schnee at every given opportunity, taking advantage of the fact that neither of you can directly do anything for fear of your relationship becoming public knowledge. Ms. Schnee, who I would imagine would not be very happy with this, would in turn act out of character due to her dealing with a situation which, I will assume, is one that she has never dealt with before. "

"Would out of character involve causing cold fronts during presentations and challenging her sister to a duel?"

"Yes, exactly that-" Yin trailed off, realising what Cassian was saying. "...she didn't."

"She did."

Yin groaned and grabbed his head, the thought of his commander's mischief causing him physical pain.

"I would apologise, but at this point I'm not sure if it will be any use."

"It's alright." Cassian, having realised that he might as well come clean, patted Yin on the shoulder. "Winter...well I love her a lot. As in, to the point where I can't imagine being with anyone else _but_ her. What I did to her today was horrible, and I hate myself for putting her through that. But ultimately, the blame for what happens lies with _me_. Hence, whatever Winter does to me because of this is justified-"

"What if she wants to break up with you?" Cassian paused. The possibility had crossed his mind a number of times. If Winter did that, the amount of pain that would inflict on Cassian would be...indescribable.

"Well...I'll be nursing a broken heart for a long time then." Cassian tried to sound light-hearted. "But like I said, I deserve whatever punishment Winter deals out."

"...haaa." Yin suddenly exhaled loudly. "You're far too kind as always Colonel. You should know that the Lieutenant-Colonel has to take most, if not all of the blame for your current predicament."

"Perhaps." Cassian admitted. "But I can't deny that I am at fault for Silvers actions as well."

"Colonel, please don't tell me you're really blaming yourself for her falling in love with you?" Noticing Cassian's remorseful smile, Yin sighed. "You are aware that makes no sense at all, right?"

"Does it not? I entered the relationship without realising the full extent of Silvers' feelings."

"It isn't your fault that you weren't as hopelessly in love with Silvers as she was with you. And times, it wasn't as if she made it brutally obvious. She was always very good at hiding her true thoughts and feelings."

"But I should have known." Yin shook his head. He knew that Cassian would never stop blaming himself for this. "If I'd known, I could have-"

"You can't keep shouldering everyone's responsibility Colonel." Yin interrupted. "The Lieutenant-Colonel fell in love with you. You dated her because you held some level of affection for her. When you realised you could never recuperate her feelings, you broke up with her because you didn't want to lie to her about your feelings. The Lieutenant-Colonel refused to accept the truth and hence is now acting out of jealousy towards Ms. Schnee." Yin glared at Cassian. "So who's in the wrong Colonel?"

"...it isn't that simple."

"But it is Colonel. We both know it is."

"Silvers has unique circumstances. She may appear strong, but her past makes her emotionally weak and fragile-"

"You aren't serious." Yin groaned. He knew Silvers' past as well as Cassian did, but in Yin's eyes that didn't absolve her of what she did. "Colonel, you're really too kind to my idiot of a leader. More than she deserves, actually."

"You may be right Yin." Cassian smiled sadly. "But I can't help but feel responsibility for being the reason why Silvers acted as she did today."

The two of them remained silent for a while, each thinking their own thoughts, before Yin suddenly spoke up.

"Though, I would imagine that kindness is why Ms. Schnee likes you so much."

"You really think so?" Cassian noticeably brightened at Yin's comment.

"Yes." Yin patted Cassian's shoulder. "I have no doubt that she'll forgive you-"

"Yin-"

"-and that you'll have kinky make-up sex."

Cassian blinked, the atmosphere completely ruined by Yin's final comment. After a moment, Cassian sighed.

"...you really need to stop reading Helaine's 'Ninja's of Love' novels."

"It's quality literature!"

* * *

Weiss sprinted forward, Myrtenaster nothing more then a flash of steel. In the span of a moment, Weiss unleashed three stabs at her sister, each one aiming for a vital point.

"Humph." Winter, still smiling, simply swayed left and right, dodging Weiss' combo with little effort. "Is that all, little sister?"

"Tch." Weiss clicked her tongue, swinging Myrtenaster in an arc towards Winter's neck. Winter coolly stepped back, Myrtenaster missing her neck by a hair's breadth. Weiss, riding the momentum of the swing, spun around and thrust forward.

Winter however, had already moved out of Weiss' attack range, causing Weiss to stab at nothing but air. Weiss' eyes widened as she struggled to maintain her balance.

"Little sister, what did I say about being careful?" Weiss' eyes bulged as Winter's palm struck her in the stomach. Winter had, through some unknown technique, seemingly teleported in front of Weiss. "You need to be prepared for any attack, at an given moment."

"Gah!" Weiss gasped in pain. Winter's strike had dug deep into her stomach. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her aura gauge plummet to thirty percent.

"Oh my." Winter glanced at the gauge. "You really don't have much endurance do you, little sister?"

Weiss tried to jump back and regain some breath, but some unknown power seemed to glue Weiss to Winter's palm.

"What-" Weiss tried to yank herself off Winter's hand, but found that she was unable to do so. "-is this?!"

"Have you not learnt any unarmed combat yet?" Winter lifted her arm so that Weiss was directly above her head. "Well, I suppose this is a better time than ever to let you experience it with your own body."

Weiss felt pressure build at the point between Winter's palm and her stomach. Suddenly, the pressure expanded, sending Weiss flying up into the air.

"Aura, little sister, is a very dangerous weapon." Winter said simply, as Weiss crashed down onto the arena floor, her aura gauge falling another ten percent. "It'd be best if you remember that."

The crowd went wild.

* * *

"Ah." Cassian winced as Weiss crashed to the ground. "She's gotten way too into this."

"Wasn't that a personal technique of yours?" Yin asked. The two of them had arrived just in time to watch Winter strike her sister in the stomach.

"Yes." Cassian replied, massaging the bridge of his nose. "A very brutal one as well, as it's meant to severely deplete a person's aura."

"So I'm guessing you didn't intend for her to use it on Ms. Schnee."

"Yes, I did not." Cassian sighed and shook his head. "I only taught her that for self-defense purposes, not to beat up her sister."

"If she's like this in combat, does that mean in bed she-"

"Stop." Cassian winced as certain _memories_ came back. "I really don't want to think about it."

Before Yin could further interrogate the Colonel, he felt someone pat his butt.

"Heh?" A voice said in surprise. "You aren't a girl?"

"C-coco!" A soft voice said in a scolding manner. "Y-you can't just do something that indecent to someone you don't know!"

Turning around, Yin and Cassian found themselves facing a group of four individuals.

"Oh, hello Ms. Velvet." Cassian said, recognising the bunny faunus. "I'm sorry about your garden."

"I-it's ok." Velvet replied, hiding behind her much taller (like seriously taller) teammate.

"So…" Yin looked at the girl who had patted his arse. "If I may inquire the identity of the woman who sexually assaulted me."

"Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY, at your service." The girl replied without an ounce of shame. A wide grin, full of confidence, split her face in half as she tilted her beret at Yin. "Sorry about that, I thought you were a girl."

"So you normally greet women by patting their butts?"

"Yes." Coco gave Yin a wink. "Though, I won't deny I do it with boys sometimes-"

"Coco, I think you're creeping him out." One of Coco's team members, a dark-skinned boy with messy copper hair, suddenly spoke out. Immediately, Coco spun around and placed her hand on her hip.

"Fox, just because you're jealous that I slapped another guy's butt doesn't mean-"

"Coco!" Fox spluttered, his face turning red. Coco simply grinned at the boy, before returning her attention to Yin.

"Now the, where was I?"

"By Oum…" Yin muttered, disbelief in his voice. "I never thought that they'd be another one like her..."

Cassian stifled a laugh behind his hand.

* * *

Weiss forced herself to her feet. Her legs were shaking, her breath came out ragged. Glancing at the screen, she noted that she was down in the red, with perhaps 20% of her aura remaining. Winter on the other hand, hadn't taken a single unit of damage.

"Are you going to give up?" Winter's voice echoed through the stage. Her sister had barely moved from her starting position. She had once again crossed her arms over her bosom, accenting it. Weiss could hear wolf-whistles coming from the males in the crowd. "Answer me, little sister."

"A-a Schnee never steps away from a fight." Weiss gasped. She noticed that her aura wasn't regenerating. Apparently Winter's blow had a secondary effect that Weiss was unaware of.

"Well said." Winter smiled, before raising her hand into the air. Weiss could feel the temperature plummet. Above Winter's hand, a piece of ice begun to form. As Weiss watched, the ice grew in length, eventually becoming a crude spear. Winter grabbed the spear and gave it a few twirls, before holding it point down behind her back. "Now then, show me the fruits of your training, little sister."

* * *

"Colonel." Cassian tore his eyes away from the arena and looked at Coco. "I have a question."

"Yes Ms. Adel?" The leader of Team CFVY seemed to scrutinise Cassian for a moment.

"First, are you dating Winter?"

"I don't comment on my mistress' personal affairs."

"Is calling Winter your mistress a kink thing?"

Yin snorted, while Cassian remained impassive.

"As I told Ms. Xiao-long when she asked me the same question this morning, calling Ms. Schnee mistress is a sign of respect."

"I think you're lying about the dating thing, but whatever." Coco leaned her back against the bannister. "People have a right to their secrets."

"Whatever you say Ms. Adel."

"By the way, did you know that the currents odds on this match are four to one in Winter's favor?"

"Well, considering the current aura gauges, I'm not surprised." Yin rested his chin on the bannister. "Winter is completely dominating this match."

"So is it a lost cause then?" Coco asked, directing her question at Cassian.

Cassian smiled and shrugged his shoulders. He would never say it out loud in public, but Cassian had an odd feeling that the match was far from over.

After all, every Schnee he'd met so far had inhuman tenacity when it came to battle.

Why would Weiss be any different?

* * *

Winter watched as her sister took her combat stance. She could have taken Weiss out in an instant with her spear, but Winter wanted to enjoy this fight. Twirling her spear around, Winter waited for Weiss to attack. Winter had already calculated every possible move Weiss could make to strike her with Myrtenaster. Front, up, left, right. If Weiss attempted to strike Winter with her blade, she would find herself on the receiving end of a brutal counter attack.

To her surprise, Weiss didn't even attempt to lunge forward. Instead, numerous glyphs suddenly surrounded Winter.

"Hmm." Winter looked around. She didn't recognise a single one of the glyphs. "Interesting. You increased the number of glyphs you can draw, did you not?"

A blur to Winter's right indicated that Weiss had moved. Winter immediately lifted her spear to block, only to stumble sideways from the sheer force of the strike.

Before Winter could properly recover, she noticed another blur to her left. This blow was also guarded, albeit barely. As Winter regained her balance, another attack came in from above. Then below. Then right. Then left. Each attack came even faster than the last, with each of Winter's blocks only barely parrying the attacks in time. Weiss was nothing but a blur, moving between each of her glyphs in a seemingly random pattern.

Winter's eyes widened in surprise at the ferocity and speed of Weiss' assault. The smile on her lips grew larger, even more so when one of Weiss' strikes slashed her cheek open, drawing blood.

"Not bad little sister." Winter grinned, as she barely blocked another harrowing blow. In the next instant, a cut appeared on Winter's forearm. "Not bad at all."

In the corner of her eye, Winter noticed her aura gauge being to slowly drop.

* * *

"Go Weiss!" Ruby cheered. Next to her, Blake waved a tiny flag with RWBY printed on it. Yang however, was shouting Weiss' name through a loudspeaker that she'd pulled from nowhere.

"WEISS WEISS WEISS!" Yang yelled, causing Blake to wince and move away from her teammate. "WIN WIN WIN!"

"Wow." Sun watched as Weiss bounced between her glyphs, her speed increasing with each bounce. Winter, in the centre, was steadily getting more and more injured, her spear becoming more chipped and failing to block more blows under Weiss' ferocious assault. "That is one powerful technique."

"That's my snow angel." Neptune said with a grin. "Never doubted her for a second."

"Says the guy who was begging us to change his bet fifteen seconds ago." Sage muttered to Scarlet, who grunted his agreement. "Though, I didn't think Weiss was strong enough to go toe-to-toe with her sister."

"I guess there really is a difference between a Huntress-in-training and the CEO of a company." Sun commented. "I mean, we spar pretty much everyday now, especially with the tournament coming up."

"That's true. But-" Scarlet looked at the older Schnee. From his vantage point, he could see that Winter wasn't panicked in the slightest. On the contrary, she seemed to be...smiling? "-it could just be Winter hasn't gotten serious yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...she hasn't taken her weapon out-"

A sudden explosion rocked the arena, the resulting air wave forcing all of the audience to avert their eyes.

* * *

"...woah." Coco's eyes widened behind her sunglasses. "That's her weapon?"

"It matches her." Yin commented.

"Indeed." Yatsuhashi nodded in agreement.

"S-scary." Velvet muttered, hey eyes wide.

"Uh guys, blind guy here?" Fox looked around in confusion. "What exactly is Winter's weapon? And what's that whistling sound?"

" _Sturm und Drang_." Cassian replied. His face seemed unfazed, but thin beads of sweat were running down his neck. Fox, with his superhuman senses, could hear his heart beating faster. Cassian was afraid. "The whistling sound, Mr. Alistair, is the sound of my mistress' whip wrapping around her at high speeds, protecting her from Ms. Schnee's attacks."

"A whip?" Fox let out a low whistle. "Kinky."

Cassian sighed, hoping to Oum that he didn't run into Yang after this.

* * *

"YES!" Yang pumped her fist in the air, her expression ecstatic. "IT'S A WHIP BABY!"

Behind her Scarlet and Sage (and to an extent Sun), were celebrating with hugs, high-fives and squeals, their fantasies realised.

"Um Blake." Ruby, a confused expression, turned to her book-wormish teammate. "Why is everyone so happy that Winter's weapon is a whip?"

Blake however, wasn't listening. Her face had a fervent blush over it, and she was muttering quickly under her breath. Ruby, moving closer to her teammate, just managed to make out what she was saying.

"That whip. Their relationship. This is just like the chapter where Genin Lyna is punished by her older sister Chunin Tanya for insubordination." Blake took a moment to wipe some drool from her lips. "Huehuhuehue…"

Ruby, her weirdo sensor having reached maximum levels, wisely decided not to ask Blake what she was talking about.

* * *

Weiss rolled on the floor, eventually managing to flip up and land on her feet. The force of the explosion from Winter's revealing of her weapon had been enough to ruin Weiss' concentration, dispelling the glyphs and hence sending Weiss shooting away from Winter.

"Not bad little sister." Winter commented. Weiss' eyes widened when she saw her sister's weapon.

Sturm und Drang was rotating at high speeds around Winter's body, effectively providing an impenetrable barrier around her sister. Weiss realised that had she not overshot and ended up where she was, she would have collided with the said barrier and taken serious damage.

"Oh?" Winter, noticing Weiss shocked expression, sighed. "Could it be that you did not intend to overshoot in the first place?"

"...maybe." Weiss held Myrtenaster in front of her, the tip pointed at Winter's throat. Her eyes focused on Winter's hands, preparing to read any incoming attack-

Something brushed past Weiss' cheek. In the same moment, Weiss heard an explosion behind her, followed by yells of shock from the audience.

"Tsk, tsk." Winter tutted, her right hand extended with Sturm und Drang's hilt gripped loosely in her fingers. Weiss could see Sturm und Drang in the corner of her eye, it having been the object that had rushed past her even faster than she could see. The explosion must have been the wall caving in from the impact of the whip's weighted tip. "You just died, little sister."

Weiss couldn't believe just how fast Winter had attacked. The whip had literally been a blur, moving at speeds beyond Weiss' ability to process. Looking at Winter's hands for indication of an attack had also proved fruitless.

"Crap." Weiss cursed under her breath. This was most definitely not good. Weiss watched as Winter flicked her wrist, causing Sturm und Drang to retract and lie on the ground. Weiss peered at the weapon.

Sturm und Drang was a whip consisting of numerous metal segments connected by a thick piece of wire, similar in nature to a chain whip. Unlike a conventional chain whip however, Sturm und Drang consisted of hundreds of tiny metal segments, giving it increased flexibility and versatility. At the weapon's tip was a small ornate piece of metal in the shape of an acorn. As Weiss watched, Winter turned a dial on the hilt. Immediately, red lines begun to glow along the whip and a crackling noise begun to emit from the steel.

"You must be joking." Weiss muttered, summoning a defensive glyph in front of her. "You have to be joking."

Winter's whip, now with fire dust running through its "veins", lashed out. Upon hitting Weiss' glyph, the whip seemed to explode in flame, dousing Weiss with heat. Had it not been for her shield, Weiss would have been immolated.

"[Multiple Dust Enhancement Whip] Sturm und Drang." Winter flicked her weapon so that it shrunk down in size. "Not quite as classy as your Myrtenaster, but I'm told it matches me." Twirling the dial again, Winter made her whip glow yellow. At the same time, the smell of ozone permeated through the arena.

Weiss summoned another glyph, only to wince when it was blasted to pieces. Electricity crackled and lightning flew from the point of impact. Acting on instinct, Weiss immediately created another barrier.

The whip cracked again, a green light shrouding the whip. Upon contact with the barrier, a blast of compressed air sent Weiss flying backwards. After bouncing a few times, Weiss came to a stop a dozen meters away from where she'd just been standing.

Instead of resting, Weiss immediately rolled to the right. A second later, the weighted tip of Winter's whip smashed down where her head had just been. Luckily, no dust had been embedded in the tip, otherwise Weiss might have actually died.

"This is ridiculous." Weiss huffed, getting up and brandishing her weapon. She noted that her hand was shaking. "Unarmed combat, Semblance usage, aura manipulation and weapons mastery? Do you not have any weaknesses?"

"No." Winter replied, a smirk on her face. Sturm und Drang lay on the floor in front of her, ready to be unleashed at any given moment. "Think of me as another obstacle that you need to surpass."

"More like the final boss." Weiss grumbled, using a term that she'd heard Ruby use to describe impossible situations. Suddenly, Weiss felt her vision blur slightly, before returning to normal. An indication that she was down to her last few dregs of strength.

"Well little sister?" Winter continued to stand there, unmoving. "Are you not coming?"

Weiss' answer was to stab Myrtenaster into the ground, summoning a wall of ice.

"Oh?" With a flick, Winter crushed the wall of ice. "Being sneaky now?"

Suddenly, a path of glyphs appeared to Winter's right. Out of the corner of her eye, Winter saw Weiss standing at the other end of the glyphs.

"Acceleration?" Winter pulled at her whip, preparing to strike her sister as she rushed towards her. To Winter's surprise, something was preventing her from retrieving Sturm und Drang. Looking back, Winter noticed Myrtenaster, it's blade stabbing through both her whip and ground, pinning it down. "Hoh."

Weiss suddenly rushed forward, her hand placement indicating that she aiming for a punch. Winter knew that there was no way for her to unpin Sturm und Drang in time to counter.

* * *

"Here it comes!" Coco shouted. "Hit her in the face Weiss!"

"Not a bad plan from Ms. Weiss." Yin noted, a smile on his face. "Perhaps this will end it."

"A final exchange, so to say." Yatsuhashi interjected.

"Oh Oum, please don't let her do anything over the top." Cassian mumbled, wiping the sweat from his brow.

* * *

"PUNCH HER HARD WEISS!" Nora yelled, causing Jaune to wince and step away. Team JNPR were seated at the front of the set of stands on the opposite side of Team RWBY.

"This is quite an end, is it not Ren?" Pyrrha's eyes seemed to be glistening as she watched the build-up to the final exchange.

"It is, yes-" Ren's eyes narrowed as he saw Winter _drop her weapon_ and take an unarmed combat stance. "-wait, is that-?"

* * *

"Oh crap." Cassian immediately averted his eyes upon seeing Winter take a familiar stance. "This is going to hurt."

* * *

Weiss found herself floating in the air.

Right before she'd struck Winter, her sister had, through some technique, redirected Weiss so that she'd been sent into the air. At the same time, Winter had somehow managed to reduce Weiss' acceleration, so that she was now peacefully floating in the air.

Winter's face suddenly appeared in Weiss' spherical vision. A serene expression was on her face as she placed her palm in Weiss' stomach.

"Not bad little sister." Winter murmured softly. Weiss could feel a warmth beginning to build up at the two sister's point of contact. "But like I said before, _Aura is a very dangerous weapon._ "

Suddenly, Winter's face turned violent. At the same time, Weiss felt herself accelerate downwards. The last thought she had before impact was:

This is going to hurt.

* * *

"MOTHER BISCUIT!" Yang shouted, averting her eyes as Weiss was smashed into the ground. The ground underneath Weiss buckled and broke, cracks spreading across the entirety of the arena and even the walls. The wind created by the blast was enough that several front-row students had actually been sent stumbling backwards.

Blake winced and pressed her bow (along with her hidden ears) against her head. The cracking noise that had emitted from Weiss' body at the moment of impact had been harrowing, to say the least.

Ruby simply stared agape at the battlefield, unwilling to believe that an older sister could do that to their younger sibling.

* * *

Weiss looked up at the arena ceiling. Pain permeated every cell of her body. She wanted to scream, but found that she didn't have any energy to do so. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that her aura gauge was completely depleted. Winter's however, had only been cut down by a third.

In spite of this however, Weiss found herself smiling.

A third against her monster of a sister?

That was pretty damn good in Weiss' book.

* * *

 **Quite a spar huh? I can't imagine Yang doing this to Ruby if they ever fought. Really illustrates the difference in sibling relationships doesn't it?**

 **Anyways, the next chapter will be good, as it details both Weiss and Winter's love lives! That means Cassian and Winter finally talk it (or fight it) out!**

 **Ferris**


	9. Bonds

"-you want to break up with me-"

 _That voice...Cassian?_

"We aren't going to talk about this until I know my little sister is fine."

 _Winter's voice. Firm, but sad._

"Of course, but I just wanted to-."

 _Cassian. His voice is calm, yet he seems to be pleading._

"Cassian, please. Let's do this somewhere more private alright?"

"...she's waking up."

Weiss rubbed her head and sat up, wincing as a dull pain rain through her body. "W-where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary Ms. Schnee." Cassian said. He was leaning next to the door, his sheathed sword gripped lightly in his right hand. "You took some serious damage during the fight, but luckily your aura took the brunt of the damage. You'll be fine after a few hours."

"You did good little sister." Winter smiled at Weiss, but Weiss noticed that it seemed a bit forced. "Your decision to come here for Huntress training was not detrimental after all."

"Thank you Win-big sister." Weiss noticed how Winter's eyes widened just a fraction. In the corner of her eye, she saw Cassian smile slightly. "It was a good spar. I hope that we can do it again."

"Likewise." Winter smiled at Weiss, this time genuinely. "Now then, Cassian and I should be going. Your friends have been waiting outside to check on you. A certain boy with spiky blue hair was particularly adamant that he see you as soon as possible." Noticing Weiss' blush, Winter chuckled, while Cassian lowered his sunglasses and shot Weiss a wink. "He is not my type, but I can see why one would be attracted to him. I hope you heed my words little sister." With that said, Winter turned towards the door, which Cassian had already opened.

As Winter left, Cassian paused and smiled at Weiss, before shutting the door behind him.

Weiss got a few seconds of calm, before the door burst open and Team RWBY, SSSN and JNPR all rushed in.

It was only after they had begun recapping Weiss' fight in great detail that Weiss realised that Winter had referred to Cassian by his first name.

* * *

"It's good that she has friends." Cassian commented, shutting the door behind him. With a click, he locked it. He and Winter were currently inside an unused classroom. Cassian had told Yin that he needed sometime alone with her, a request that Yin was more than happy to fulfill (as he still felt some responsibility for Silvers' actions). "She'll grow into a fine young-"

 _Crack._

Cassian stumbled sideways as Winter's hand struck his right cheek.

"That was for kissing your ex-girlfriend in front of me." Winter said simply. Anger, long withheld, dyed her face.

"I deserved that." Cassian admitted, standing back up, only to receive another brutal slap on his other cheek. This time, he let his neck crack to the right, taking the full force of the blow.

"That's for saying I'd want to break up with you." She was positively livid now, tears of anger staining her cheeks.

"I deserved that as well." Cassian rotated his head back, preparing for another assault. "Before you continue, I just want to say that what happened today was completely my fault and please-"

Whatever Cassian was about to say was cut off when Winter smashed her lips against his. The two kissed for a long time, before finally pulling apart. It had been a rough kiss, one full of raw emotion and words.

"And that's me saying that I still love you regardless." Winter panted, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"I-I…" Cassian was genuinely lost for words. Shock was evident on his face. Winter, seeing such a rare expression on Cassian's face, burst out laughing. "I-never mind." Cassian, after a while, simply gave up trying to be coherent and smiled.

A few minutes later, Winter managed to stop laughing.

"Was it that funny?" Cassian asked. The two of them had, at some point, moved away from the doorway and were seated side-by-side on the teacher's desk. Winter's head was resting on Cassian's shoulder while Cassian rested his head on Winter's. "Me being speechless?"

"Oh yes." Winter giggled. "It was."

"...I'm sorry." Cassian said after a moment. "I don't know what else to say but sorry-" Winter placed her finger on Cassian's mouth, silencing him.

"I forgive you." Winter wrapped her arms around Cassian's arm and pulled herself close. "I promised myself that I'd listen to your side of the story, but now that I think about it, I don't really care-"

"Winter, you can't just forgive me like that! I need to be-" Winter once again cut off Cassian by covering his mouth, only this time with her own. This kiss was longer and more gentle than the last.

"If you need to do something to redeem yourself-" Winter murmured after they'd broken apart. "-then make me a promise."

"A promise?"

"That you'll be mine and only mine. Forever."

Cassian immediately stepped off the table and twirled around so he was facing Winter. Dropping to one knee, Cassian lowered his head so that they were nearly touching Winter's feet.

"I, Cassian Gray, swear to forever be loyal and true to Winter Schnee for the rest of my life. Should I forsake this vow, may I be struck down by Oum himself and his crows eat my entrails for all eternity."

"Good." Winter admitted, using her foot to lift Cassian's head by his chin so that he was looking her in the eye. "But I was thinking more along the lines of something involving a ring, if you get my drift?"

That made Cassian blush red. After a minute, Winter too blushed at her own forwardness.

"Well, I did promise you one day didn't I?" Cassian, after a while, whispered softly. This only caused Winter to flush even more as she remembered that night. Cassian stood up and pulled Winter into a hug. "I hope that you're willing to wait though, since at this moment in our lives it isn't the best thing to do.."

"As long as it takes." Winter replied without hesitation. She had buried her face into Cassian's chest, but Cassian could feel the warmth from her blush. "As long as it takes…"

The two remained in that room for a long time, neither talking nor moving, but enjoying each other's company.

* * *

"Where'd Winter and Cassian go?" Yang asked, brushing water off her shoulders. She had made numerous 'whipped' puns and jokes to Weiss, none of which had been taken kindly by the younger Schnee. The ultimate conclusion had been Weiss using a glyph to freeze Yang in an ice pillar to 'cool off', in her words. (This had elicited a groan from those present, and an "At least I'm trying! Geez!" from Weiss.)

"Dunno." Sage responded, chewing on a biscuit he had found somewhere. "They left as soon as we went in."

"Oooo do you think they went for some sexy time-ow!" Nora yelped as Ren whacked her on the head.

"Nora, don't talk about the potential sexual exploits of Winter in front of Winter's younger sister."

"But isn't Weiss at least a _teeny_ bit curious? I mean, it's all over the internet!"

"Actually, that's a good point." Yang turned to the Schnee heiress, who had been noticeably quiet during the conversation. "Wouldn't Weissy here be the best person to ask about the truth regarding Winter and Cassian?"

"Um…" Weiss looked at all the expectant faces around her. "Well...I don't actually know."

"What!?" Yang shouted in surprise, causing Weiss to flinch. "You're her _sister_! How could you not know if she's dating her bodyguard!?"

"Winter was never the type to share her feelings. Plus, I only heard about their supposed relationship yesterday."

"Wait, you don't read Vale's Gossip Girl XOXO?" Scarlet asked.

"No. Who does?" Everyone, including Ren and Ruby, raised their hand. "What…even you Blake!?"

"It's quality literature." Blake said defensively. Weiss rolled her eyes, but decided not to press the point.

"Well, regardless of all of your _questionable_ reading tastes, no I don't know if my sister is dating her bodyguard." Weiss vaguely remembered hearing something in her daze earlier that may have indicated otherwise, but decided to dismiss it. Better not to say anything then say something based on imperfect information. "Nor do I have any knowledge that may indicate whether the rumor is true or not."

"Awww that's no fun." Nora huffed. "Oh, I know! Let's spy on them."

"I would advise against that." A voice suddenly said from the doorway. The crowd of students immediately turned around, to find themselves looking at a young...guy/girl. The androgynous human sighed. "...I'm a guy."

"Yin Chi-tu." Weiss muttered, recognising the seasoned Hunter.

"Ms. Schnee." Yin nodded his head in greeting, unperturbed by the noticeable change in the room's atmosphere. "I am glad to see you are alright. It would be most unfortunate if one of the Schnee Family were injured under our watch."

"Thank you for your concern."

"The Colonel holds the Schnee family in high regard. It is only fitting that I do the same."

"You seem to hold the Colonel in very high regard yourself." Yin laughed.

"That I do. If you heard the stories of what he's done for other people, you'd see why everyone else does as well. There is a legitimate reason why he's known as the White Knight."

"Wait, so that wasn't a media thing?" Sage asked. Yin shook his head.

"No. Originally we at the Academy called Cassian that because he was the personal bodyguard to the-" Yin cast a glance at Weiss, before continuing. " _-former_ heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."

"Unimaginative." Weiss grunted. "But understandable, considering it's a military academy."

Yin snorted, before continuing.

"Anyway, I suppose the first thing that caught everyone's attention was what he did with Silvers Iscariot."

"Silvers Iscariot? Your team leader?" Yang asked, remembering the small girl who had escorted them during Winter's presentation. "Wait...wasn't she hugging Cassian?"

"Silvers' infatuation with the Colonel stems from what the Colonel did for her in her first year at the Academy."

"So when Cassian was in his second year." Yin nodded. "So, what did he do?"

"Well, it's an interesting story." Yin thought back to four years ago, when he had met the people who would eventually form Team SHYD.

* * *

"-and that's how I met Silvers." Cassian finished. "And as you know, we eventually dated and broke up-"

"Did you sleep with her?." Winter asked, her head lying in Cassian's lap. At some point, they'd moved to the nearest set of benches.

"…I just gave you a eloquent and engaging story about my past and you ask me that?"

"It's a serious question."

"Erm…"

"Cassian, I won't get mad. I promise."

"Well…" Cassian coughed. "We _were_ nineteen year olds and dating…"

"So you did sleep with her."

"...yes." Cassian braced himself for some physical retaliation, but Winter only sighed and re-adjusted her head into a more comfortable position.

"Fine. Are there any other ex-girlfriends that I should know about?"

Winter's new position meant she could no longer see Cassian's face. Had she seen it, she would have noticed the look of anguish that briefly crossed Cassian's face.

"None...that you have to worry about." Cassian replied, scratching Winter's head.

"Mmmm." Winter smiled and snuggled against Cassian, completely unaware of Cassian's innermost thoughts. "OK then."

They stayed like this for a few minutes, Winter lightly dozing while Cassian fiddled with her hair.

"You should talk to your sister." Cassian suddenly said, breaking the silence. He could feel Winter wiggle a bit in response, but she didn't say anything. "As in, have a serious heart-to-heart."

"...It isn't that easy Cassian." Winter said after a pause. Her voice sounded withdrawn and defeated. "You know that I've never had a good-"

"That's a lie and we both know it." Cassian cut in, his voice firm. "We grew up together remember? I still remember how she used to cling to you a barnacle against a fishing boat whenever you'd go out and play. Even now I know she wants to have her sister back."

"Really?" The hope in Winter's voice was fragile, but it was hope nevertheless. "Does she really want that?"

"Yes." Cassian promised. "Yes, she does."

"...I want it to you know." Winter mumbled. "To be a sister again."

"I know you do." Cassian whispered, stroking Winter's hair.

After a few moments of silence, Winter suddenly spoke up, a smirk on her face.

"A barnacle against a fishing boat? Was that the best analogy you could come up with?"

"Hey, I'm from a fishing town!."

"Really?"

"Yes it's-wait we aren't talking about me." Cassian lightly tapped Winter on the forehead, making her giggle. "So, will you go talk with your sister?"

"...alright." Winter said, after a minute of consideration. "But only because _you_ asked."

"You'll be happy you did." Cassian patted Winter's cheek, knowing full well that Winter would have done it even if he hadn't mentioned it to her. She was, in the end, a prideful member of the Schnee family. "And she will be as well."

Winter hummed in contentment.

* * *

"H-he really did that?" Sage asked. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as Yin finished his story. Next to him, Scarlet blew his nose in a tissue. The other inhabitants of the room, while not quite as emotionally affected by the story, were also humbled by Yin's story about Cassian.

"That and more." Yin replied. At some point, he had found himself surrounded by the numerous Hunters-and-Huntresses in training. "Though, if I was to tell you anymore of the Colonel's stories, I'd be here-"

"Anymore of whose stories?" A bemused voice asked from the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe was the Colonel himself.

"Ah Colonel!" Yin jumped to his feet. "I see that you've finished your business."

"Yes, thank you for that Yin." Yin bowed his head in response. "Though, I'm here to deliver a message to Ms. Schnee from my mistress."

"For me?" Weiss asked. Next to her, Neptune was holding a glass of juice with a straw in it.

"My mistress would like to spend some…" Cassian paused, as if trying to come up with the correct words. "Happy sisterly-time?"

"Happy sisterly-time…?" Weiss' mind took a few moments to decipher the meaning behind Cassian's words. "You aren't just putting words in my sister's mouth again are you?"

"I'm sure that not the only thing he's putting in her mouth-ow!" Yang winced and rubbed her arm, Blake giving her a withering stare. Cassian and Yin simply sighed at the blond brawler's innuendo.

"So, do you mind Ms. Schnee?"

"N-no." Weiss stuttered, surprised at the offer. "I don't mind at all."

"Should we go?" Ren asked, having correctly deduced Cassian's intent. "We wouldn't want to intrude upon a sisterly bonding time."

"That would be most appreciated Mr. Lie." Cassian shot a glance at Yin. "Perhaps Yin will continue to entertain you with his stories, over pancakes of course."

"Yay pancakes!" Nora shouted, immediately pushing most of the room out.

As the students filled out, Cassian noted that Neptune seemed a bit reluctant to leave Weiss' side. The blue haired boy kept shooting worried glances in Weiss' direction.

"Mr. Vasilias." Cassian suddenly placed his hand on Neptune's shoulder. "Would you mind coming with me for a moment?"

"M-me?" Neptune asked. Cassian nodded. Neptune then turned to Weiss. "Is that fine with you, snow an-"

"It's fine!" Weiss said quickly, cutting Neptune off with a blush on her face. "I want to talk with my sister privately as well."

"OK." Neptune turned to Cassian and shot him a million-watt smile. "Sure, I'll come with you."

"Perfect." Cassian gave Weiss a warm smile, before departing with Neptune in tow.

A few seconds after the two men had left, the door opened once more and Winter Schnee stepped in.

Weiss noticed that her sister looked a lot more relaxed and happy then she had an hour ago. While her expression still remained the same, Winter's body language indicated her change in mood.

"Hello little sister." Winter said, pulling up a chair and seating herself next to Weiss' bed. "I think its time we had a heart-to-heart, don't you agree?"

* * *

"Soooo Colonel."

"Please, just call me Cassian. Or Cass, if you prefer."

"I will if you call me Neptune."

"Deal."

The two men were currently walking down the halls, with Cassian in the lead and Neptune tailing behind. With a start, Neptune realised they were heading for the training halls.

"Cassian, are we going to the training halls?"

"Yup." Cassian replied, opening the door to one of the halls. He motioned for Neptune to step inside. "I wanted to talk to you privately, but I also feel a need to punch you. So I decided to pick a place where I could do both." Cassian gave Neptune a sunny smile, which he did not return.

"Um, why do you want to punch me?" Neptune decided to immediately jump to his biggest concern at the moment.

"Because you're flirting with my mistress' younger sister." Cassian replied, stripping his formal wear off and changing into training gear. "Who I also view as a younger sister of sorts."

"So you want to punch me for flirting with Weiss?"

"Pretty much. My mistress and I flipped for this and I won. She wanted to whip you with Sturm und Drang."

"...I should be thankful that you won then shouldn't I?"

"Unless you're into BDSM, then yes you should." Cassian slid a pair of gloves over his hands. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you too badly."

"Sure." Neptune made as if to remove his weapon, only for Cassian to stop him. "Wait, isn't this a hand-to-hand combat thing?"

"For me, yes. But you're using your weapon." Cassian stepped into the centre of the hall and bounced on his feet, his hands raised in front of his face in a similar stance to Yang. "Now then, show me what you can do."

* * *

Weiss was currently experiencing something she hadn't experienced in a long time.

She was being hugged by her sister.

It had been completely out of the blue, with no prior warning. The moment the door shut behind Winter, she had pulled Weiss into a hug.

Weiss could feel her sister's warmth, could smell the faint scent of mint. Memories, thousands of them, immediately came to Weiss' mind as she breathed in Winter's scent.

 _Weiss watching as Winter climbed the big tree in the Schnee estate._

 _Winter teaching Weiss how to properly cut vegetables with a knife and fork._

 _Winter hugging Weiss during a thunderstorm._

 _Weiss hiding behind Winter during their first meeting with Cassian._

 _Weiss asking Winter for bunkbeds._

Tears begun to form around Weiss' eyes as she relaxed in her sister's firm embrace.

Neither of them said a word, for words were not needed at that moment.

There were just somethings that words couldn't communicate after all.

* * *

"Gah!" Neptune shrieked, ducking under one of Cassian's right hooks. He had already been disarmed exactly four seconds into the match, and was now trying not to get hit. "Careful of the face-" Whatever Neptune was about to say was abruptly interrupted when Cassian stabbed his fingers lightly into his solar plexus (Well, lightly for Cassian. The force of the stab was enough to empty Neptune's lungs instantly, as well as temporarily paralyze his right lung.)

"You know, when I said we'd talk-" Cassian followed up the crippling blow with a quick one-two combo, sending Neptune reeling for breath and stumbling backwards. "-I meant that we'd talk with our fists."

Neptune couldn't come up with an answer for that, too busy trying to get his body to breath. Cassian responded by sweeping Neptune's legs from under him, before striking Neptune in the chest with his toes. This blow immediately sent a bolt of pain through Neptune, as well as re-energising his entire body.

"GAH-woah." Neptune blinked, surprised at the sudden burst of energy. "What the heck-?"

"Temporary energy boost." Cassian replied, suddenly grabbing Neptune's leg and hurling him across the training hall. "Didn't want you tapping out just yet."

Neptune's body hit the wall with a crack. Luckily, his aura managed to protect him from the brunt of the blow. Neptune landed face-first on the floor.

"Ow…" Neptune mumbled, standing up. "You're really not holding back are you?"

"Oh, I am." Cassian grinned. "If you want me to get serious, I could send you to the infirmary to keep Ms. Schnee company."

"I'll pass thanks." Cassian laughed and lowered his hands. "Are we done?" Neptune asked hopefully.

"For now." Cassian walked towards Neptune, stopping about a meter away from the younger man. "So, what do you think of Ms. Schnee anyways?"

"You mean Weiss?" Cassian nodded. "Well, I think she's cool."

"Does that mean there's romantic intent…?"

"I don't know." Neptune answered honestly. "I mean, I like her a lot. But I don't know if it's in a romantic _way_."

"Mmm I know that feeling." Cassian nodded sagely. "I was like that for a long time as well."

"Oh with Silvers?"

"Sure." Cassian replied in a way that indicated it was anything but that. His tone however, told Neptune that it was in his best interests not to probe. "I remember how difficult it was to sort out my feelings for her."

"But you did in the end?"

"I did." Cassian nodded. "It wasn't easy, but I did."

"How? I mean, how did you find out you liked her?"

"I realised that I was nothing without her." Cassian said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Cassian, I don't think Weiss and I are even near that level of commitment. We've been on two dates tops."

"That isn't enough for you guys?"

"You fell in love after _two_ dates!?"

"Yes?"

"I think that's considered abnormal Cassian." Neptune shook his head, unable to believe the Colonel.

"I suppose." Cassian was completely unaffected by the realisation that his relationship was considered so unnatural. "But I like to think it was true love."

"...I get the odd feeling we aren't talking about Silvers anymore."

"We aren't."

"Oh." Seeing that Cassian was not going to elaborate, Neptune decided to let the point sit. "Well, I hope it ends well for you and your...beloved?"

"Yeah…" Cassian mumbled, having already lost focus. His eyes were glazed over, as if he was thinking about something. "...Neptune."

"Hmm?" Neptune stopped checking his body for wounds. "What's up?"

"Love…" Cassian trailed off.

"Yes?"

"...is a battlefield." Cassian finished cryptically. He wasn't looking at Neptune, instead choosing to stare at some random spot in the hall. "And the fight...never ends. "

"...OK?" Neptune replied, unsure of why Cassian had suddenly said something so…melodramatic. Something told him however, that Cassian may not have been talking to him.

It was almost as if Cassian was giving himself advice.

Or perhaps remembering something important.

* * *

"Winter…" Weiss sniffed. She had been crying into her sister's bosom for the past few minutes or so. "I-I-"

"Shhh…" Winter softly brushed Weiss' hair, a gesture she hadn't done in years. "It's alright little sister."

"I-I missed you." Weiss mumbled. "I missed you so much…"

"And I you." Winter said in a soothing tone, lightly planting a kiss on Weiss' head. "I should have come back a long time ago. I'm so sorry about that Weiss. I failed you as your big sister, disappearing all those years ago."

"It isn't your fault!" Weiss suddenly shouted into Winter's chest. "I was childish! And stupid! And a complete dunce! I just wanted to get back at you for ignoring me, but in the process I-"

"Weiss." Winter said in a firm but kind tone. "You can't blame yourself for everything. You were only a child then. How could you be expected to know?"

"But I should have known-"

"No." Winter gently lifted Weiss' head so that the two sisters were looking each other in the eye. Weiss could see the old Winter, the _real_ Winter, in those eyes. The Winter that had protected Weiss from everything all that time ago. "You shouldn't have. I was selfish Weiss, placing my own happiness in front of everything else. I wanted to get away from the Castle, from father. And in the process, I robbed you of your right to a childhood."

"I don't care about that! I jus-just wanted you Winter!" Weiss sobbed, clutching her sister as if she was afraid she'd disappear. "I just wanted my sister back…"

"And now you do." Winter whispered softly, rubbing Weiss' back. Tears had begun to form in the corner of Winter's eyes as well. "I promise you Weiss. I won't leave you alone anymore. Not this time."

* * *

 **AWWW SO CUTE. Anyways, we'll go even deeper into their relationships in the next chapter. Review if you have anything to say! (Comments, constructive criticism, suggestions, ect.)**


	10. Notes

"Are you taking Ms. Schnee to the dance Neptune?"

The two men were currently leaning on the walls of the training hall, sipping energy drinks and chatting.

"Well I asked her." Neptune took a swig from his Schnee-Mint-Lemon-Icy rehydration drink (The Schnees really liked mint.) "But she didn't answer me yet."

"Well I'm sure she'll say yes, since she's obviously attracted to you."" Cassian crumpled his empty bottle and placed it on the ground next to him. "I am assuming you noticed…?"

"Vaguely." Cassian nodded.

"Ms. Schnee was never very good at showcasing her feelings." Cassian pulled a stick of gum from his bag and offered Neptune a piece. "Being a Schnee is her life, so in terms of social affairs Ms. Schnee is rather...behind in development, shall we say?"

"Is her older sister the same?"

"Quite the opposite in fact." Cassian chewed on his gum, savoring the taste of peppermint. "My mistress is actually very well-adapted to both upholding the Schnee name and being true to herself."

"So she's like two seperate people?"

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Cassian spat his gum into a piece of tissue. "But I guess the easiest way to describe it is that she knows how to use etiquette to her advantage."

"Sounds scary."

"It is." Cassian stood up and stretched his arms. "Anyway, I better get back. I'm sure my mistress has already forgotten that we have a few more errands to run around Beacon before we're done for the day."

"And I need to check with Weiss if she'll come with me to the dance."

"You do that. Though no funny business or you'll be eating through a straw for a week."

"Yes sir!"

Cassian grinned and smacked Neptune's back in a friendly way.

"Figure out your feelings for her before you do anything else. Break it off if you don't like her, but I'll murder you myself if you go in with a half-assed attitude."

Neptune gulped.

* * *

"What do you mean you don't know how you feel about him?" Winter asked. She had moved from her chair to Weiss' bed, and was currently gently holding her sister while they chatted. "I thought you liked that Neptune boy?"

"I do." Weiss replied. She was still trying to accept the fact that her older sister was currently lying next to her with a smile on her face. It was so..surreal. "I mean, he's cute, nice, sweet, charming-"

"It certainly sounds like you're attracted to him." Winter commented dryly.

"-but I don't know if he understands me." Weiss finished.

"Well that's definitely important." Winter brushed some hair off Weiss' face. "In my opinion, that's probably the most important actually. So, is there someone else then?"

"..." Winter noticed Weiss' face blush. "...maybe."

"It's Cassian isn't it?"

"N-no, of course not!"

Winter sighed at her sister's flimsy attempts to deny it. "Little sister, you are aware you are not the first, nor will you be the last, of the long list of women who have fallen for Cassian Gray. That guy has the best luck with the ladies, and he doesn't even do it on purpose!"

"Well, hypothetically-" Winter sighed again. "-if I did feel a _tiny_ bit attracted to the Colonel-"

"Give up." Winter replied bluntly, cutting her sister off. Weiss, surprised by her sister's response, was speechless for a moment, before regaining her bearings.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact you've been calling him by his first name for the past few minutes would it?" Weiss shot back, her tone accusatory.

This time, it was Winter's turn for denial.

"What are you talking about? I've been calling him Cass-Colonel the entire-" Seeing Weiss' expression, Winter's sighed. "There isn't any point in denying it is there?"

"None at all." Weiss rubbed Winter's head, eliciting a laugh from the older Schnee. "You know that pretty much everyone believes that the two of you are dating?"

"I know." Winter replied. "Trust me when I say I've been asked _far_ too many times."

"But I'm guessing father has something to do with why you two haven't gone public."

"Right again."

"...Do you want to go public?" Weiss wondered why she was asking this question. Perhaps a part of her didn't want to be associated with a person who was dating a _commoner_. This realisation sent self-disgust running down Weiss' spine. Her family's conditioning had been...thorough to say the least.

"Of course." Winter replied without hesitation. "I love him."

Weiss blinked. Winter had said it so calmly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Love…?"

"Yes little sister, love." Winter looked at her sister's blushing face and laughed. "Is it that hard to imagine me in love?"

"N-no, it's just…" Weiss struggled to find the right words. "Love is such...a strong word."

"That's true." Winter admitted, looking up at the ceiling. "The word has so many meanings. There's sibling love, parental love, love for hobbies, appreciative love…"

"And true love." Weiss finished. Winter looked at her sister, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Oh my~Is my little sister interested in finding true love?"

"Winter!"

"Kidding." Winter laughed as Weiss huffed and turned away from her. "Love shouldn't be rushed. I spent over five years with Cassian before I realised my feelings."

"I saw the picture." Winter raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what her sister was referring to. "The one of you and Cassian laughing."

"Ah." Winter nodded her head, her expression unreadable. "Yes...that was an annoying picture."

"Annoying? Oh right, it put you two in the spotlight didn't it?"

"Exactly." Winter sighed. ""That meant no more hand-holding, no more kisses, no more hugs, no more dates..." Winter's eyes glazed over in memory. "Cassian always thought of the best dates."

"Really?" Sensing her sister's nostalgia, and being a bit curious herself, Weiss prompted her sister to continue.

"Yes. Whenever we'd have some free time, we'd have dates. We used to swap every time, but eventually I just let him do it." Winter let out a small laugh. "I was so bad at it. Every time we'd go out, it would be a disaster. It would rain when we went to the beach, I'd get the time wrong for the movie, I'd mix up the restaurant bookings..."

"That sounds very unlike you." Weiss exclaimed. "You appear so organised and proper in public."

"Cassian is to thank for that, since he's always picking up my slack." Winter smiled. "You should come see my hotel room little sister, it's a complete mess! Because of that, Cassian refuses to sleep in my room, so I keep having to sneak into his bed if I want some fun-"

"Stop." Weiss cut her sister off, her face scrunched up in disgust. "I don't need to know about that part of your relationship, thank you very much."

"How cute." Winter ruffled Weiss' hair. "Is my little sister too embarrassed to hear about her older sister's sex life?"

"I have no reason to hear about such debauchery."

"Debauchery!?" Winter said in mock anger. "I will have you know that Cassian and I have classy se-!"

"Sister!" Weiss yelled, throwing a pillow at Winter's face. The pillow cuts Winter off with a _pomph_ sound.

A stunned silence fills the room for a moment. Suddenly, Winter slowly removes the pillow from her face, revealing the same feral smile Weiss had seen during their spar.

"So this is your decision dear sister?" Fear ran down Weiss' spine as Winter slowly raised herself up. "Well then, take this!"

Weiss shouted in surprise as Winter launched herself at her. The two sister tumbled around for a bit, Weiss trying to escape from Winter's grip.

Eventually, Weiss gave up, her sister having somehow wrapped herself around Weiss like an octopus.

As Weiss lay there, her older sister happily crushing her, she found herself smiling.

It was good to have her sister back.

* * *

Cassian looked around him. He was standing at the top of the cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest. About six hundred meters behind him, further down the cliffs, were the familiar launch pads used by Beacon for their orientation. The only living thing that Cassian could see on the cliff was the massive tree that stood next to him.

That did not mean however, that Cassian was alone.

"You can come out now." Cassian spoke to no one in particular.

"Hoh?" A male voice suddenly exclaimed. From behind the tree, a man in a white suit stepped out. On his chest the familiar crest of Pale Horse was printed, along with a wolf print. In his right hand, a white metallic briefcase hung loosely from his fingers. "As expected from our commander's direct subordinate. Hello again Cassian."

"Cacao." Cassian looked at his fellow Pale Horse member. "What is the sub-commander of Vanagandr doing here?"

"Not just me." Cacao pointed behind Cassian. Spinning around, Cassian's eyes widened. A massive man, easily seven feet in height, stood behind him. He was wearing a white mask with two slits where Cassian imagined his eyes were. Similar to Cacao, he was dressed in white, but his outfit consisted of a trenchcoat that covered the majority of his body instead of a suit. The same two emblems were visible on his breast. The scary thing was, that despite his overwhelming size, Cassian had not sensed him at all.

"Schokolade." Cassian muttered, addressing the other sub-commander of Vanagandr. "Now this is suspicious as hell."

"How so?" Cacao asked, his tone as innocent as humanly possible. "Mr. Schnee wants the Vytal Festival to be a success as well. So he sends his own unit to keep an eye on it. How's that suspicious at all?"

"It's not the sending of Pale Horse members that I find suspicious. It's the fact that you _two_ were sent."

Cacao Adel. Sub-commander of the Vanagandr Unit, the only unit of Pale Horse that could supersede Winter's orders. His weapon, [Stentorian Matryoshka], was said to have the longest range and amongst the highest destructive power of all Hunter weapons. Rumours said he was in fact the epitome of a doting brother, who did everything he could for his twin sister who attended Beacon.

Schokolade. Sub-commander of the Vanagandr Unit. His past was as mysterious as his face. Cassian heard that he never spoke in battle, preferring to communicate via scroll message. His weapon, [Marionette Carnival], was known to be unnecessarily brutal in terms of killing method. According to Cassian's sources, Schokolade would spend his off days helping out in hospitals in Menagerie, perhaps as some sort of penance for his actions as a member of Vanagandr.

In other words, two members of Pale Horse that specialised in extreme destruction and violence. Most definitely not the kind of people you'd use on a defensive mission.

"That hurts, assuming that we're only good for assault missions." Cacao placed his hand over his chest in mock pain. Cassian had always found his uncanny ability to seemingly read the hearts and minds of people unnerving. "We too have things we want to protect here."

"Like your sister?" Cacao nodded his head furiously.

"Yes, like Coco!" Cacao's eyes begun to twinkle. "My sister is the most beautiful thing in the world. She's kind, cute, smart, confident, bad-ass, cool-" Cacao continued to rant, completely oblivious to the word.

"He's still the same isn't he?" Cassian turned to Schokolade, who nodded. "Just mention Coco and suddenly he gets all weird. I wonder what he'd do if he found out about Fox-"

Cassian's eyes widened in shock when a pair of arms placed him in a chokehold. Before he could even counter, his knees buckled, courtesy of a blow to the back of his legs.

"Who's this Fox that you mentioned?" Cacao's voice whispered into Cassian's ear. It was a voice full of malice, of violent intent. "And what is he to Coco?"

"...You know you're a bit over the top when it comes to Coco right?" Cassian grunted, his fingers digging into Cacao's arm. He could tell that escape was nigh-impossible.

"I'm a protective older brother."

"This goes beyond _protective_ and into the realm of _creepy_."

"Not when it comes to my sister's chastity." Cassian sighed. There truly were too many weird people in the military.

"They're not dating." Immediately, the pressure left Cassian's throat.

"Oh is that so?" Cacao said in a cheerful voice. "Here, let me help you up then."

Cassian felt a strong arm lift him up, before carefully placing him on his feet.

"No hard feelings I hope?" Cacao asked, a wide grin on his face.

"None at all." Cassian replied, knowing full well that a fight between the two of them would not end in his favour. Cacao's speed would mean that Cassian would not be able to make the proper preparations for victory. And that was without taking into account Schokolade. "So the two of you will be here for the entire Festival?"

"Indeed. Though we've been told not to be conspicuous, for obvious reasons." Neither of them had to say anything about Galatine. "Though Cassian, I hope you know that the White Fang have an... _unhealthy_ interest in the Festival."

"I've been made aware." Cassian remembered the fight with the Lieutenant. "However, between us and Team SHYD, we should be fine."

"Team SHYD?" Cacao's eyes widened in shock, something that did not happen very often. "You mean Yin Chi-tu's unit is here?"

"Well, it's technically Silvers Iscariot's, but yes Yin is a member."

Cacao let out a laugh of relief. "Then we're definitely fine. If that crazy berserker is here, any White Fang attackers must have a death wish."

Cassian thought back to the suicide attack done by the Lieutenant. "...Perhaps they do. After all, there are two Schnees here. Even with Yin present, I'm sure they'll be more then willing to cut their losses to take them both out."

"Well Ms. Winter is completely under your protection." Cacao gave Cassian a wink. "-and Yin has got Ms. Weiss under his watchful gaze. Plus, the two of us have been pacifying Vale and its inhabitants for the past couple days."

Cassian knew exactly what Cacao meant by 'pacifying'. The fact that not a single newspaper had covered any mysterious Faunus deaths illustrated just how good the two Vanagandr members were at their job.

"But you're right, we shouldn't let our guards down." Cacao nodded his head in a sage-like manner. "Schokolade and I will continue to patrol the town for unsavoury elements."

"Try not to kill too many people. Winter will get mad if she finds out."

"Of course _Colonel_." A smile played on Cacao's lips as he bowed mockingly. No matter how charming Cacao could be, Cassian felt like they'd never be friends. "I wish you luck with Mr. Chi-Tu. You will need it." Cacao made as if to leave, but was suddenly stopped by Schokolade. "What is it?"

Schokolade didn't say anything, instead choosing to silently stare at his partner. After a while, Cacao sighed.

"Alright, alright Schokolade, you big softie." Cacao turned to Cassian. "Cassian, about the dance in two nights."

"Yes, what about it?" Cassian had planned to join Yin and the rest of Team SHYD on patrol that night. While he had been invited as a guest (since he was an active-duty Hunter and all), Cassian had no intention of attending.

"Schokolade here wants me to tell you to relax and enjoy yourself on that night." Cassian raised an eyebrow. "He says that he thinks you and Winter need sometime to relax together."

Cassian knew that Ozpin had sworn that no paparazzi would be in attendance at the ball, which was to be held in Beacon's ballroom. However, that did not mean that some student might upload a picture snapped by a scroll.

"He also says not to worry about pictures." Cacao, reading his mind again, spoke. "Something about an EMP or the like." Cassian glared at Schokolade, who shrugged. Only Vanagandr would be capable of obtaining military grade weaponry designed for taking out traitorous hunters for stupid reasons like this. "OK maybe _not_ a full-sized EMP, seeing as that will take out every defensive system in the city."

"And the power grid. And deactivate any weapon that relied on even a tiny electronic. And basically give every White Fang member in this city the equivalent of a free lunch in terms of targets." Cassian pointed out.

"You're no fun you know that?" Cacao pouted. "But I promise you, Schokolade has a plan for the camera which does not involve endangering the rest of the city."

"I still haven't agreed yet." Cassian hated to admit it, but Cacao and Schokolade's offer was incredibly attractive. He knew that Winter was still mad about the Silvers incident and that a date would be a good way to at least somewhat make it up to her. Cassian knew that it would make her happy at least, and him as well. Oum knows how long it had been since the two of them had been on a proper date.

"I can assure you Ms. Winter will love this idea."

"I'm aware of that." Cassian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But I still don't feel comfortable relaxing when there's an actual White Fang threat."

"Oh come on." Cacao waved his hand in front of his face, as if he was physically dispelling Cassian's worries. "You know Schokolade and I can handle them! We've killed Faunus before."

"Let's not talk about that." Cassian felt a bolt of anger run through his body. He really couldn't be friends with this guy. "But fine, I'll take your offer." After a moment, Cassian added. "Thanks."

"No problem!" Cacao slapped Cassian on the back. "Though, do you mind doing me a favour? It's nothing that difficult, I promise."

Cassian sighed. He'd been waiting for this. While Schokolade's reasoning for doing this was unknown to him, the only reason why Cacao would be pushing Cassian so hard to do this was if he got something out of it.

"What is it?" Cassian braced himself for something crazy.

"Make sure my little sister stays innocent."

Cassian wondered if he should mention Coco's preferred method of greeting, but decided not to. The last thing he needed was a murder spree consisting of every person whose butt had been patted by Coco.

"Alright." Cassian sighed and held his hand out. "I'll make sure your sister stays exactly as she is."

"Deal made!" Cacao said happily, grabbing Cassian's hand and shaking it vigorously. "Enjoy your date Cassian!"

As the two of them shook hands, Cassian swore he heard Schokolade sigh at his partner's patheticness.

* * *

"I feel like we've been left out." Yang huffed, talking to both her sister and partner. After being ejected from Weiss' room, the three of them had broken away from Yin's group and had decided to wander the campus. "Don't you guys agree?"

"Yup!" Ruby said happily. She was munching on a cookie that she'd stolen from Sage. "But Weiss and her sister needed some privacy for some sisterly bonding."

"Yeah but I still feel like a side character to all this...stuff." Yang waved her hands in the air to emphasis what she was talking about. "I mean, we have Weiss' older sister and her mysterious bodyguard popping out of-"

"Popping out of where, Ms. Xiaolong?"

Yang screamed in surprise. It was a very un-Yang like shout, in that it was both high-pitched and feminine. It was a shout worthy of Jaune.

"Oh hello Colonel." Blake greeted Cassian, her faunus senses having warned her of his arrival. "Yang was just talking about you."

"Was she?" Cassian sounded bemused. "Your father used to scream like when I'd sneak up on him as well."

"You know Taiyang?" Yang's eyes widened. Her father had been one of the strongest hunters of his generation. The fact that Cassian had met him (and judging by his comment had interacted with him at a level beyond a simple meeting) surprised her.

"Oh yes. Didn't Yin mention my very colourful past?" Cassian smiled. "You should ask your father about me sometime. Though it has been awhile since I was last at Patch."

"You've been to our house!?"

"Once or twice. Whenever my mistress would be at Castle White, I'd be allowed to take a vacation. Sometimes I'd end up in Patch. You have very nice fishing spots you know?"

"You went _fishing_ with my dad?"

"Yes. That's how we met in the first place." Noticing Yang's disappointed look, Cassian smirked. "You didn't think I hunted with him did you? I'm closer in age to your generation then his, Ms. Xiaolong."

"How about the White Fang, Colonel?" Blake butted in, saving Yang from further embarrassment. Plus, she was curious. "Have you had dealings with them?"

"Many, many times." Cassian replied, running a hand through his hair. "I've fought White Fang members of every rank. Soldiers, commanding officers, Den of Beast members-"

"Den of what now?" Yang asked. Ruby too had begun listening to Cassian.

"Den of Beasts." Cassian repeated. "The elite White Fang unit?"

"Never heard of them." Yang replied. Ruby shook her head as well. Blake however, remained unusually silent, choosing instead to simply listen.

"They're the White Fang's version of Hunters. Elite individuals with skills on par with even the most seasoned Hunter. I've traded blows with enough of them to say that with certainty." Cassian rubbed his arm, as if remembering a battle wound. "Nearly died enough times against them as well."

"Really?" Blake's voice seemed almost apologetic.

"Yes. They really don't like Pale Horse. I remember trading blows with a red-haired man with a Grimm mask a few months back."

"A few months back?" Blake's voice had taken an unnatural tone, but Cassian appeared not to notice.

"The Schnee Dust train theft? It was in the news. Some White Fang members had hijacked a train of Dust on its way to Vale. Since Winter and I were in the area, I was sent to investigate. Ended up nearly getting decapitated by a sword." Cassian laughed. It was mirthless though. "He was strong, fast and _angry_. It was the first time I had ever met a White Fang member that angry. It was like I had personally taken something precious from him."

"Angry…" Blake whispered guiltily.

"What happened to him then?" Ruby asked. "Did you kill him?" The casual way Ruby spoke about the murder of another living individual, even if he was a known terrorist, chilled her teammates to the bone. Cassian however, seemed unperturbed.

"Nope. He escaped without a trace. Well...save for the huge number of dead Pale Horse members we found later."

"How many?" Blake asked softly. "How many did he kill?"

"Four dozen or so." Cassian replied. "Anyway, I need to go find my mistress. Nice chatting with you all." Cassian gave them a wave and made to go, only to stop and seemingly add something as an afterthought. "Oh and Ms. Belladonna?"

"Yes?" Blake looked up, dread building in her as she awaited Cassian's words.

"Some things can only be understood through conflict _,_ because only in conflict does truth prevail." Cassian gave her a wink, before wandering off.

* * *

 **And now we move onto the next event, the Ball! Plus Cassian being...well Cassian. Plus the introduction of more OCs who will not be focused on at all for the majority of the story (since even I have to admit that it's getting kind of out of hand with SHYD and all...) They're necessary for later though.**


	11. Fragments: A simple story

**Fragment #2**

 **A simple story**

"You wished to speak with me Ms. Belladonna?" Cassian sat opposite Blake, sipping from his coffee cup. The two of them were in a cafe somewhere in Vale, Cassian having left Winter with Yin in order to check the festival preparations.

"Yes Colonel." Blake sipped her tea, only to scrunch her face up in pain and place her cup down. "H-hot!"

"You have a cat's tongue don't you?" Cassian said, a smile growing on his face as he watched Blake try to cool her tongue down. "Can't take hot or cold."

Blake wondered if Cassian was hinting at something, perhaps knowledge of her identity. She had no doubt in her mind that Cassian knew something about her past. Exactly how much and what he was planning to do with this knowledge, well that was what Blake was here to find out.

"I can't at all." Blake blew on her tea, trying to find the right words to carefully probe the information out of Cassian. "Colonel, may I-"

"Let me tell you a story Ms. Belladonna." Cassian interrupted suddenly, placing his empty coffee cup on its saucer. "I think it'll answer any questions you have, as well as potentially help you with any _issues_ you may have."

Blake looked at Cassian, wondering what his game was. Cassian, for all appearances, simply gave Blake a relaxed smile. After a moment, Blake nodded her consent.

"This is a hypothetical story, with no relation to real world events in any way." Blake resisted the urge to laugh at Cassian's disclaimer. There was no doubt that his 'story' was anything but hypothetical. "In a certain kingdom in a certain place, there is an organisation called the White Fang."

"Hypothetical?" Cassian grinned.

"The White Fang doesn't have a trademark on the name." Blake sighed. "Anyway, one day this organisation decides to send two of its operatives on a mission to a forest of red leaves. Their target is a train full of precious goods."

Blake felt herself tense up. There was no doubt Cassian knew _exactly_ who she was. She wondered if she would be able to escape this meeting without getting herself slashed in half.

"So-" Cassan continued, seemingly unaware of Blake's internal conflict. "-the operatives attack the train, which is owned by the Schnee Dust Corporation and is patrolled by numerous weaponized droids of various types. These droids-" Cassian looked Blake directly in the eye. "-have cameras built into them for vision purposes. Like any security system, there is a direct link between the cameras and a centralised database run by an organisation in charge of SDC security called Pale Horse."

Blake mentally kicked herself. How could she have forgotten about the cameras built into the droids? At the time she hadn't cared, since Adam had wanted their faces to be associated with fear. In hindsight however, these cameras had basically screwed her over. This explained how Cassian knew exactly who she was. What it didn't explain however, was why she hadn't been visited by Pale Horse the moment she stepped into Beacon.

"Now, in this company called Pale Horse, when an event like this happens, all video feeds will be checked by a high-ranking member of the company. In this particular case, a dashingly handsome Colonel is the first one to access the feeds. Regular members can't access these feeds, due to security reasons." Cassian placed his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers to create a platform, and rested his chin on this platform. "So when this Colonel, who is the first person to access the videos, checks the feeds, he finds himself watching a play-by-play of what happened on the train. In perfect high definition with sound."

Blake felt her hand slowly drift to the hilt of Gambol Shroud, which she had hidden under the table. Cassian, despite noticing the gesture, did not move.

"So in theory, the correct procedure that the Colonel should follow is to report his findings to his superior, as well as spread the information through the proper channels in order to capture the suspects." Cassian's gaze seemed to bore into Blake's soul, freezing her and preventing her from moving. "However, the Colonel doesn't do that."

Blake felt her tension peak and then release. A mystified expression grows on her face as she processes what Cassian had just said. Cassian, noticing Blake's expression, laughs.

"Like I said, the Colonel has access to both video and sound feeds." Cassian gave Blake a kind smile. "He hears what one of the members, the protege of the other one, says. He sees what the protege does in order to save the crew and escape from the White Fang."

"Colo-" Cassian held his hand up, preventing Blake from speaking.

"So the Colonel ends up _accidentally_ wiping all data regarding the robbery from the databases, before reporting his findings to his superior. Due to one thing or another, the Colonel only reports _one_ of the White Fang members, that of the man with red hair and a Grimm mask. The other White Fang member, with a pretty black bow, officially does not exist." Cassian leaned back in his chair. "Quite a story isn't it, Ms. Belladonna? A curious mix of coincidences that _could not possibly occur in the real world_. "

"...yes it is." Blake takes a moment to collect her thoughts, before continuing. There was a question that she needed to know the answer to. "In the story, why did the Colonel do what he did?"

"A good question." Cassian gave Blake a Cheshire smile. "Perhaps the Colonel believes in second chances. Or maybe growing up with Faunus makes him more sympathetic towards their plight. Then again, he could just be an idiot-"

"Or he's someone who does what he feels is right." Cassian smiled at Blake's comment.

"Between you and me, I like to think that's the reason why he did it." Cassian stood up and placed some Lien on the table. "Now then Ms. Belladonna, a question for you. Do you think the girl with the pretty black bow will use her second chance to _do what she feels is right_?"

Without waiting for Blake's answer, Cassian left the cafe.

* * *

 **Some people were wondering if Cassian knew who Blake was. Well, here's your answer! (Originally this was gonna be in the next chapter, but I decided that it should be a fragment instead, since it wouldn't fit the tone of the next chapter.)**


	12. Link

"Hey snow angel." Weiss looked up to find Neptune standing above her. After Winter left, Weiss had decided to do some light studying. While the free time had been much appreciated, Weiss still wanted to maintain her perfect scores, so she had shooed a pouting Winter out the door.

"Neptune." Weiss memorised her page number and placed her textbook on her bedside table. "How was your talk with the Colonel?"

Weiss noticed how Neptune winced upon hearing the words _talk_ and _Colonel_.

"It went great snow angel." Neptune replied. "Cassian is a persuasive talker."

"He beat you up didn't he?"

"...Yes." Weiss laughed. After a moment, Neptune did as well.

"Well it seems like we both got beaten up today." Weiss said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Though, I'm glad that the two of you are getting along."

"Yup." Neptune scratched his chin. "How was your talk with Winter? Have a good heart to heart?"

"Fun." Seeing Neptune's raised eyebrow, Weiss pouted. "What?"

"That was not a word I expected to hear from you."

"Hey! I can be a fun person!"

"Of course you can snow angel." Neptune patted Weiss' shoulder. "Now, about that dance...?"

"Very well." Weiss said, placing her hand over Neptune's and giving him a smile. "You can escort me to the dance Neptune."

Perhaps it was time for Weiss to try and find her own love.

* * *

Cassian flicked through his scroll, checking the news sites for any Faunus-related incidents. While he knew that Schokolade and Cacao were very good, it didn't mean he was going to let his guard down completely.

Other than a few articles about a doctor in Menagerie, there wasn't anything that caught Cassian's intere-

Suddenly, his scroll begun to vibrate. Looking at the screen, Cassian felt a smile grow on his lips.

"Hey Winter." Cassian spoke, glancing around to make sure no one was around. "Have a good talk with your sister?"

"Very good. She smacked me with a pillow and threw me out so she could study." Cassian wondered exactly how that constituted a _good talk_ , but Winter sounded happy so he let it slide. "How about you and Neptune? Did you make it clear what would happen if he messed with my baby sister?"

"Of course." Cassian briefly thought back to Winter's idea of using aura to seal away Neptune's libido. It had been difficult to persuade her otherwise. "He'll be nothing short of a perfect gentleman at the dance, I promise."

"That's good." Winter was silent for a moment. "I don't think I'll be attending however."

"Why not?" Cassian, fully aware of the reason, decided to tease her a bit. "I'm sure there are many Hunters and Huntresses alike who wouldn't mind a dance with you."

"Colonel Cassian Gray, are you _teasing_ me?"

"Maybe." Cassian smiled, knowing full well that Winter was begrudgingly smiling as well. "But it would be incredibly improper of a mere bodyguard to even dream of taking his mistress to the dance."

"What if the said mistress ordered him to take her hmm?" Winter's voice was teasing, but at the same time completely serious.

"Well, then I'd have no choice but to obey would I?" Cassian laughed, before trailing off as he realised something. "Oh my Oum, it's actually a kink thing isn't it?"

On the other end of the phone, Winter was doing everything she could not to roll on the ground and howl in laughter.

* * *

"Why did you do that Schokolade?" Cacao asked his silent partner. The two of them were standing on a building top somewhere in Vale. "I mean, it seemed kind of out of the blue."

"..." Schokolade didn't vocalise his answers, but Cacao could somehow understand the big man's feelings and intentions simply through observation. "...?"

"I suppose." Cacao sighed. "I still keep forgetting about that. Wonder knows what the boss man was thinking when he hired him."

"..."

"Well yes, I'm aware that despite appearances, he has a rather ruthless and sick sense of humor when it comes to Faunus."

"..."

"That makes sense I guess." Cacao shuddered at his partner's theory. "Still creeps me out to no end regardless. Mr. Schnee's got a mean streak that even I find disturbing."

"..."

"OK fine, I admit that I was feeling a bit sorry for those two as well. And yes, I think it's a nice gesture." Cacao groaned, sensing that his partner was smiling at Cacao's reluctance to admit his true feelings. "Now shut up and get to work! If they're going to have a good night tomorrow, we have to make sure there isn't a single White Fang anywhere in this city!"

* * *

"Friend Ruby!"

"Yah!" Ruby shouted, her arm flying into the air in surprise. Her cookies were sent flying into the air, only to be skillfully caught by Blake. "Penny! Don't scare me like that!"

"Here." Blake said, handing Ruby back her cookies. "I need to go...talk to someone." Before Ruby could say anything, the Faunus was gone.

"Friend Ruby, greetings and salutations!" Penny said, waving at the young team leader. "How are you on this fine day?"

"I'm good, Penny." Ruby gave the robot girl a smile. "How about you?"

"I am well, thank you for inquiring!" Penny returned Ruby's smile, albeit with much more enthusiasm. "Are you looking forward to the tournament, friend?"

"Yes!" Ruby's eyes begun to sparkle at the thought of battle. "We've been training really hard and working on all these super sick secret moves. Oh, but I can't tell you anymore about those moves because it's meant to be a secret and you're a potential opponent and Weiss will get really mad if I do but they're so cool and awesome and will totally rock your socks off if we ever get to use them on you and your team." Ruby blinked, realising she had been rambling. "Oh, sorry about that Penny."

"It's fine. I like listening to my friend's stories." Penny replied.

"So, where's your team anyway? I don't remember ever meeting them."

"Um…" Penny fidgeted, something Ruby had never seen her do before. It was very out of character. "The General says I can't talk about them with other people."

"Oh." Ruby wondered just what was so mysterious about Penny's team (who would be participating in the opening battles the day after the dance) that Penny couldn't even talk about them. "Well, can't be helped I guess!"

"Are you mad at me?" Penny asked, a worried look on her face.

"Of course not!" Ruby gave her friend a reassuring look. "Everyone has their secrets and that's fine-" Ruby gasped as Penny enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug. "P-penny. Ribs. Crushed. Dying."

"Oh sorry friend." Penny immediately released the poor girl, allowing Ruby to breath a sigh of relief.

"It's ok Penny, just...not so much strength next time alright?"

"Yes ma'am!" Penny shot off a salute, making Ruby giggle. "Oh, that reminds me! I heard that you met Mr. Colonel."

"Uh...who?"

"Colonel Cassian Gray?" Penny tilted her head. "The General said he was here and that Team RWBY had met him."

"Oh!" Ruby exclaimed, realising who Penny was referring to. "Weiss' sister's bodyguard right!"

"Yes." Penny nodded her head. " Ruby, a word of caution. Mr. Colonel is scary."

"Scary? He seems pretty nice."

"He's-" Penny paused, as if trying to find the words. After a moment, she decided to try a different method. " Ruby, in the Atlas Military, there are two ways to move up the ranks."

"O-k?"

"One is through experience, like General Ironwood. The other is through combat. Mr. Colonel was one rank beneath the General ranks when he left the military at 22."

"So you're saying he's good at fighting than?"

"Ruby, Mr. Colonel is-"

"Penny!" A girl's voice shouted out, interrupting the girl. Both Ruby and Penny turned around. Standing a few meters away was a girl with green eyes and brown hair. "There you are! We need to go report to the General now!"

"Ah." Penny turned to Ruby and bowed profusely. "Sorry friend, but I must go."

"That's fine. See you later Penny." Ruby watched as the girl ran over to her friend. "Well that was weird."

* * *

"We have a request for you, Ms. Schnee." General Ironwood and Professor Ozpin were currently escorting Winter Schnee to her airship. The two of them had run into the elder heiress as she'd left the medical bay, and had insisted on seeing her off.

"Go on." Winter replied, somewhat intrigued. Not that it was noticeable in her tone or expression.

"We'd like you to be a guest professor at tomorrow's combat class. After today's spar, a number of the students expressed interest in being taught by you."

"Why not." Winter had to admit, she was flattered by the offer. Beacon professors were considered to be the cream of the crop, even back in Atlas. To be offered a guest position did wonders for Winter's ego. Plus, she wouldn't mind seeing the skills of her sister's team. "Very well, I'll accept your offer. What time tomorrow?"

"Would 4 in the afternoon suffice? I'm sure you must have a busy schedule." With a start, Winter realised that she had no idea what she had to do tomorrow. Cassian had mentioned that they'd be busy every single day, but Winter couldn't remember the exact details of each event.

"Hmm." Winter made a sound as if she was considering. Inside however, she was panicking a bit. If she said she wasn't sure, it would be a blow to her facade. At the same time, if she had to cancel, it would be a blow to her pride. Winter decided to give an ambiguous answer, in order to save face."That will-"

"-be most acceptable." Cassian finished for her. He had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, scaring the three of them. "Good afternoon General and Headmaster. My mistress has nothing in the afternoon save for preparation for the ball, which should take but an hour and a bit." Cassan turned his gaze towards Winter. "Mistress, you must make sure to sufficiently rest tonight, as you have an early meeting with the train operators tomorrow about the new security protocols."

"As he said gentlemen, I will take charge of that class tomorrow." Winter made a mental note to thank Cassian later. "Now, I must be returning to my hotel. Good day gentlemen."

* * *

"They were definitely staring at your butt." Cassian teased, the moment they were in the privacy of their car. "I will bet fifteen lien they were staring at your butt when you stepped up onto the airship."

"S-shut up!" Winter blushed crimson. She had felt the stares of not just the professors, but the students milling around the air strip. "Ugh I hate my outfit sometimes…"

"Why? It's incredibly attractive."

"You think so?" Winter couldn't stop the smile growing on her face. "Thanks Cass."

"You're going to call me that as well?" Cassian asked, lightly bopping Winter on the nose. Winter giggled and swatted his hand like a cat.

"Yup." Winter replied. "You should come up with a pet name for me as well."

"A pet name hmm?" Cassian thought for a moment. "Nah, Winter's already so cute that I can't possibly come up with something better."

The two of them flirted and teased each other for the remainder of the car ride, only to be interrupted by a soft cough from Fred.

"Ms. Schnee, Colonel. We're approaching the hotel and there are paparazzi waiting outside."

Winter and Cassian immediately separated, both of them fixing themselves in preparation for the intense media scrutiny that they were about to face.

Before they came to a stop, Winter gave Cassian a quick peck on the cheek.

"Love you Cass." Winter mumbled, a small blush on her face. Before Cassian could answer, Winter stepped out of the car.

After a moment, Cassian followed suit, doing all he could to prevent a massive smile from growing on his face.

* * *

"I need a smoke." Cacao moaned, plopping himself on one of the few unbroken crates in the warehouse. "Schokolade, do you have any cigarettes?"

"..." Schokolade ignored his partner, choosing instead to survey the destruction that the two of them had caused. Dead White Fang members littered the room. Some had their necks broken or faces caved in, courtesy of Cacao. Others had been strangulated or bleed out or simply diced into pieces, courtesy of Schokolade.

"Eh, though you didn't." Cacao patted his clothes, eventually finding a crumpled up cigarette in his pocket. "Got a light-"

Something swished past Cacao, causing his cigarette to light up. Cacao placed the now-lit smoke in his mouth and inhaled.

"Much better." Cacao sighed, letting a puff of smoke out. "Now then, did you keep one of these scum alive?"

Schokolade indicated a solitary figure with his head. The White Fang member was leaning against a steel pipe, his head lolled to the side.

Cacao wandered over to the man, before bending down and placing the palm of his hand on the man's forehead. Cacao's hand glowed for a moment, before the White Fang member's eyes flew open.

"Hello." Cacao gave a cheery wave. "What's your name?"

The White Fang member's answer was to throw up, the smell of blood and death too much for the Faunus' enhanced senses.

"Yuck." Cacao muttered, taking a step back. "That's pretty gross."

The man continued to retch and puke while Cacao and Schokolade watched. Eventually, he stopped.

"W-what did you do?" The White Fang member gasped after emptying his stomach. "M-my comrades?"

"Dead." Cacao replied, taking a seat on the ground a few feet away from the prisoner. "Kicked the bucket. Six feet under. Met the maker. And all the other synonyms."

"W-why..." The prisoner's eyes widened upon seeing the insignia on Cacao's breast. "Pale Horse?!"

"There's your answer!" Cacao said gleefully. "Now then, my turn to ask questions. You can choose to take the hard way or the easy way-" Cacao leaned in, a psychotic grin on this face. "-but between you and me I hope you pick the former."

The White Fang member whimpered and soiled his pants.

* * *

"Crap." Cacao said, looking at the now-dead White Fang prisoner. The interrogation had been a success, even if the prisoner had died in the process. "Crap." Cacao repeated the word, as it accurately summed up the situation at hand.

"..." Schokolade pulled his scroll out, only to find that it wasn't working. "...!"

"Crap." Cacao allowed himself to curse one more time, before forcing himself to concentrate. They needed to get this new intelligence to Team SHYD and Cassian. "They've cut our comms?"

Schokolade nodded. At the same time, an ominous rumbling came from below them. The two of them immediately recognised the sound as being the sound of explosives.

"Was that…" Cacao trailed off, remembering a little tidbit of information regarding the city of Vale. Specifically, what the industrial district was built over. "RUN!"

Neither of the two Vanagandr members however, managed to take more than five steps before the ground collapsed underneath them, sending them tumbling into the Grimm-filled labyrinths beneath Vale.

* * *

"Huh." Cassian looked at his scroll. He was dressed in his sleepwear, his hair still wet from the shower he had just finished. "That doesn't look good."

"What's up?" Winter asked, stepping into his room. She was dressed in a white negligee, her hands using a towel to dry her white locks.

"Explosion in the industrial district. Secret White Fang lair. Lots of dead." Cassian showed Winter the video. A pillar of smoke, with numerous police and firefighting crews on the scene.

"Isn't dead White Fang a good thing?" Winter asked, taking a seat next to Cassian. "Means less things we have to kill."

"You mean rehabilitate." Noticing Winter's lack of reply, Cassian sighed. "Winter…"

"You know how I feel about the White Fang." Winter curled up so her chin rested on her knees. "They killed a lot of my family, even the ones who weren't involved in the business. I can't accept that, the killing of all Schnees simply because of their bloodline."

Cassian couldn't help but concede that point. It was true that a number of people affiliated with the Schnee family had been murdered for the sole reason of being related to the aforementioned family.

"Not all of them are bad." Cassian said softly, knowing this was a touchy subject. He thought back to the girl that he had seen on the train. "Sometimes all they need is to see the truth."

"And how many people have to die before they see that truth?" Winter placed her head on Cassian's shoulder. "Cassian, I don't really want to talk about this. I just want to relax tonight." Winter gave Cassian a sultry smile. "Unless of course, you prefer to do some _exercise_ instead?"

"You're incorrigible, you know that?" Cassian pulled Winter to the bed, the Schnee squealing in delight.

* * *

"So you're going with Neptune?" Yang asked. Team RWBY were getting ready for bed, all members being thoroughly exhausted from the day's activities. "Damn, I was hoping for a sisters-bodyguard love triangle."

"Yang, you're a sick, sick woman." Weiss looked at the blonde brawler with disgust.

"Hey, Blakey agrees with me!" Yang looked at the cat-faunus, who was flipping through another book. "Right Blakey?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny Yang's accusations." Blake replied dead-panned. "Though, such a relationship does resemble that of-"

"I don't need any _perverted fantasies_ regarding myself, my sister, or her bodyguard." Weiss shuddered at the thought, while Blake simply shrugged and returned to her book.

"Are you sure? Because the three of you are pretty hot, and the three of you together would be-"

"Yang!" Weiss yelled, cutting the blonde off. "Did you forget your sister is here!?"

Yang looked at Ruby, who was trying to comprehend exactly what the other three members of her team were talking about. Luckily, Ruby was rather dense when it came to sexual matters, and hence had no real clue about what they were talking about.

"Ruby, why don't you bring Zwei for a walk?" Yang asked kindly.

"Nope!" Ruby shook her head. "I want to learn about whatever you guys are talking about!"

"Ruby, this is adult stuff. You're too young to know about this-"

"Like the stuff you did with Nox back in Patch? Because I could hear you guys all-"

"Ruby!" Yang hissed, her face red. "That was meant to be a secret between sisters!"

"Ooops." Ruby grinned and scratched her head, while Weiss and Blake laughed in the background. "Sorry Yang."

* * *

"So we're in charge of security tomorrow?" Silvers asked. The four members of Team SHYD were standing in the bridge in Atlas' main Capital Ship. Through the observation windows, the team had a perfect view of Vale and Beacon.

"Correct." General Ironwood was seated in the control seat of the bridge, his legs crossed and his chin resting on the back of his hands. "We cannot have another infiltration like at the previous dance. Other than the increase in patrols, I'd like two of you to guard the CCT."

"Davina. Helaine." Silvers said simply. The two girls immediately nodded their heads in agreement.

"The remaining two will be monitoring the dance and the main entrance respectively. Regarding the alternative entry point discovered by Cassian, Atlas Paladins and Knights have been deployed to maintain a security blanket over the area. The moment something out of the ordinary happens, it'll be transmitted to your receivers."

"If something is amiss, what is the procedure that we will be following?" Yin asked, his voice level.

"You mean, whether you will shoot to kill or subdue?" Yin gave a curt nod, General Ironwood having correctly deduced the actual question. "We only need one person to get the necessary information."

"Understood." Yin gave General Ironwood a salute.

"Permission to be excused?" Silvers asked. "My team needs to prepare."

"Granted." General Ironwood dismissed Team SHYD, who filled out of the command centre.

The moment they left, Penny stepped into the centre, having been silently monitoring the entire conversation on the General's orders.

"Where are the Vanagandr members?" Ironwood asked, turning to the diminutive girl. "I assume the explosion in the industrial district with all the White Fang was their doing.:

"Unknown sir." Penny replied. "No one has seen even the slightest trace of them. We can't get into the blast zone either, since there are a huge number of Grimm who had escaped the area. We're working on containing the invasion at the moment."

"So they're either dead or stuck in the labyrinth beneath this city." Ironwood looked at the sparkling lights of Vale. "To think that such a beautiful sight could conceal such darkness underneath."

"My father used to say that those who look down from above will never see the true darkness that lurks in the corners of the world."

"True." Ironwood looked at the glittering cityscape. "Where there is light, there will always be shadow. And it is in shadow that the evil will dwell."

* * *

 **I'm back! Was busy moving into...well something. It was long. And hard. But fun. Updates will be a bit slow for a while as I try to get used to a new environment. The next chapter will be preparations for the dance, from both the good, the bad and the bad-ass.**

 **Rate and Review and Favourite!**

 **Ferris.**


	13. Cave

"Tonight, we strike at the heart of our enemies!" The White Fang Lieutenant roared, the crowd of soldiers yelling their approval. "All our enemies are in one place! So lay down your lives for the cause!"

The White Fang army's battle cries would have reached the heavens had it not been for their location. They were deep underneath Vale, in one of the caverns that made up the labyrinth that criss-crossed underneath the city. Due to the Grimm infestation, along with the confusing and illogical corridors, the labyrinth was basically uninhabited and uncontrolled, as no rational individual would use it as a base.

No one ever considered the White Fang to be logical, especially the two observers who were most definitely not White Fang member.

"Well this looks bad." Cacao murmured to Schokolade. The two of them were hidden in the shadows of one of the numerous entrances to the cavern. "Like, seriously bad."

"..." Schokolade nodded his head in agreement. His fingers were moving quickly, silently allowing his weapon to slowly blanket the area around them. Schokolade's weapon was brutal, but needed to be properly prepared in order to be fully utilised. "..."

"So you think we should go on the offensive then?" Cacao's hand gripped his weapon more tightly. In an enclosed space, it was incredibly lethal. At the same time however, overuse could potentially bring the entire cavern down. "Most of them seem pretty weak, except those two."

The two that Cacao referred to were the White Fang Lieutenant and the smaller girl who was leaning casually against the wall. The girl was twirling a pair of sais around her fingers. A pair of wolf ears stuck out from her short jagged hair. At first glance, the White Fang Lieutenant was definitely more imposing. To the trained eye however, it was obvious that the girl was both far more skilled and hence far more dangerous. Her reputation was also known to the two Vanagandr members.

"..." Schokolade flexed his muscles, his aura spiking as he applied it around his body. Against _her_ , all defences had to maximise.

"Yeah, I'll keep my voice down." Cacao knew that the girl's hearing would be near supernatural, even by Faunus standards. He recognised her after all. Not by name though. "But I didn't think they'd send one of the leader's personal corps to oversee this mission."

"...Den of Beasts." Cacao blinked. He had only heard Schokolade speak a handful of times, despite all their time together. Then again, Schokolade only ever spoke when it came to certain individuals and topics.

"The monsters of the White Fang." Cacao watched as the girl scratched her head, her ears twitching. A happy look crossed her face and she begun scratching more furiously. It would be cute, if the girl wasn't a sociopathic terrorist. "Complete fanatics with brutality that rivals that of the Grimm."

"...kill." Schokolade said, referring to the Purple List. A secret list of individuals known only to the upper echelons of Pale Horse and the Atlas Military, any person on the list would be executed on the spot without exception.

"Ugh." Cacao scratched his head, watching the crowd. He knew the power of the Den of Beasts by reputation, and wasn't very confident in his chances of success against one of their members. Especially with so many White Fang cannon fodder and the massive Lieutenant. "This is going to be messy you know?"

"..." Schokolade continued to watch the Den of Beasts member, who had taken out a lunchbox and was currently munching on a rice ball. His fingers twitched, his weapon reinforcing his fists in preparation for combat.

"Are you going to come out?" The wolf girl suddenly called out upon finishing her rice ball. Both Schokolade and Cacao froze. "You're pretty good, hiding your aura like that. Pity you can't stop your heart from beating or your pores from perspiring or whispering. Otherwise, I might not have noticed you."

"Damn it." Cacao groaned and stepped out of the shadows whilst scratching his head. Schokolade however, didn't move. The two had realised that the girl hadn't noticed Schokolade due to his ridiculous stealth capabilities. "That sucks then."

Upon seeing the Pale Horse insignia along with the Vanagandr mark, every single White Fang leveled their weapons at Cacao.

"Well this is a nice greeting." Cacao spread his arms wide, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Nice to see you guys as well!"

"Kill the interloper!" The White Fang members made to attack.

"You'll die." The members immediately froze at the girl's words. "That man is Vanagandr's sub-commander. Killing a bunch of small-fry like you would be a picnic for him."

"Well not _exactly_." Cacao spun his briefcase around. "Though it would be quite easy yes."

"That's why I'll take you on myself." The girl pushed herself off the wall, her hands grasping her sais. "I wanted to fight against Cassian or the monster that runs Vanagandr, but a sub-commander should whet my appetite."

"OK Cassian I can understand." Cacao rolled his shoulders and relaxed his body. "But you wanted to fight my boss? Are you bloody insane? You might be strong, but Fenris would wipe the floor with you."

"Perhaps." The girl's eyes flashed and her grin widened, revealing sharpened canines. "But it would be a good way to die."

"You're mad." Cacao took a combat stance. "By the way, I didn't catch your name."

"Cassandra." The wolf Faunus replied. "Nice to meet you, Cacao Adel of Vanagandr."

"Right back at you." Cacao pressed a button, activating his weapon. "And I'll see you in the next life."

The resulting explosion rocked the entire cavern.

* * *

"What should I wear?" Winter moaned, holding another dress up. She was alone in her room, having kicked Cassian out. Winter wanted her outfit to be a surprise, something that would render Cassian speechless. "Ugh, I don't know what to wear!"

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Cassian called from the other room. He had already showered and was dressed for bed. "I mean, you'd look gorgeous regardless of the outfit-"

"No!" Winter yelled, causing Cassian to flinch. "This is the first time in ages since we've had a proper date, and I'll be damned if it isn't perfect!"

"Uh…" Cassian was silent for a moment. "...alright. I'll leave it to you then."

Winter waited until she heard Cassian's bathroom door close before letting out an annoyed moan. She wanted to wear something new to impress him, but Cassian had seen basically all of her outfits.

"What can I doooo?" Winter grabbed her head and shook it. "I don't know what to do!"

 _Meanwhile, in the bathroom…_

Cassian winced as he heard Winter shout again. He was brushing his teeth and cleaning his glasses. While he had his eyesight corrected soon after becoming Winter's bodyguard, Cassian still wore glasses in private. They made him feel secure.

"Haaaa." Cassian sighed. He knew that Winter wanted to surprise him, but in all honesty, he didn't really mind what she wore. To Cassian, Winter was his queen and king. In his eyes, she could wear a potato sack and still be the most beautiful person in the world. A person who he had dedicated his life to both serve and love. "I hope she doesn't go overboard."

"I doubt it." Yin's voice was projected from Cassian's scroll, which lay on the ledge above the sink. "Well ok, I do think she'll go overboard."

"Probably." Cassian gargled and spat into the sink, before wiping his mouth with a towel. "Though this does mean I'll be able to catch a few winks."

"Always a good thing. I'm sure after the make-up sex, you must be rather exhausted."

"Stop reading Ninjas of Love." Cassian grabbed his phone and went into his room. "It's making your brain rotten."

"It's quality literature."

"Sure." Cassian slid into the covers and placed his glasses on the bedside table. "Like Vytal's Gossip Girl XOXO."

"You read that site?"

"I read all the blog sites." Cassian flipped the bed-side light switch, dimming the room until his bedside lamp was the only source of light. "I do need to keep up with the gossip about Winter."

"Just admit you like reading it." Cassian flushed, glad that Yin couldn't see his face. OK, maybe he did enjoy reading about the celebrity news _just a bit_. "It's a guilty pleasure. We all have one of those."

"Is Ninja's of Love yours?"

"No, it's crossdressing." Cassian blinked. He hadn't expected _that_. "Surprised?"

"Um…" Cassian wondered exactly how he should respond. He could imagine that Yin would be very good at the said hobby. "Somehow it matches you."

"I can send you some images if you'd like." Before Cassian could say anything, his phone beeped. With a healthy amount of apprehension, he opened the image link.

"..." Cassian looked at the image on the screen. "..."

"What do you think? I thought that photo shoot was one of my better ones."

"...they're actually not that bad." Cassian looked more carefully. "Wait...isn't this a gravure shoot?"

"My guilty pleasure."

"You're a pin-up model!?" Cassian yelped.

"Yes, but please don't tell anyone. No one knows except you and Helaine."

Cassian could see why. The photo of Yin was virtually unrecognisable. Had Cassian not known who it was, he would have said the girl was cute. "I hate to admit it, but you could give Silvers and Winter a run for their money in terms of femininity."

"No offense, but neither of them are particularly feminine. Silvers is a tomboy, while Winter is...domineering." Yin replied, self-pride evident in his tone.

"I think she prefers to call it adult charm. Plus, she's different in private." In the background, Cassian thought he could hear sobbing, but decided to ignore it for now. Winter was having her moment, and it wasn't a good idea for him to interfere. "Very different."

"True. Is that her sobbing in the background?"

"Yes."

"...Are you not going to do anything?"

"She's choosing a dress."

"Ah yes, good choice then." Yin's tone sounded sagely. "A woman choosing an outfit for the man they love should never be interrupted by that said man."

Cassian had to admit, there was a very specific question that he needed to ask Yin, if only to lay his suspicions to rest. "Yin, are you a-"

"Do I see myself as a woman?" Yin went quiet as he thought about it. Cassian however, read the silence as being oppressive.

"You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

"Oh I have no problem about talking about it. It's you after all Colonel." Yin replied, his voice cheery. "It's just that I don't really think about it. I mean, I like women-"

"Wait." Cassian interrupted Yin, another important question having suddenly entered his mind. "Do you like someone right now?"

"...no."

"You're lying to me."

"I really don't-"

Yin's attempts to deny it fell on deaf ears.

"I know the girl don't I?"

"...maybe." Before Cassian could push any further, Yin hung up. Cassian stared at his scroll, before sighing. He wondered what would happen if the said girl was to find out about Yin's...hobby.

"I pray for your success Yin." Cassian murmured, before switching off the light and going to sleep.

* * *

Cassandra threw herself to the right, dodging another one of Cacao's projectiles. His weapon, a massive anti-air cannon, had a relatively slow firing rate. However, Cacao was fast enough so that Cassandra was unable to close the distance between the two of them.

At the same time, Cacao's explosive rounds were sending most of the White Fang members into disarray, forcing them to take cover or cower in the ground in fear.

"HAHAHAHA!" Cacao laughed, his gun spewing bullets of death. A single blow from one of them would kill literally anything, due to their ridiculous destructive power. "DIE DIE DIE!"

"Hmm." Cassandra rolled and weaved, the attacks missing her by inches. She didn't try to deflect the attacks with her sais, her battle experience telling her that such an attempt would not end well. "You're an infuriating one aren't you!?"

"Right back at you!" Cacao yelled back. "Why don't you just get hit and die!"

* * *

The White Fang Lieutenant watched the two of them fight. His injury from his encounter with Cassian Gray had yet to fully heal, and hence he wasn't capable of assisting Cassandra. Though, it would have been very difficult for him to offer assistance even if he was healed, so fierce was their battle.

Suddenly, the Lieutenant felt something wrap around his throat. At the last second, he managed to stick his hand against his Adam's apple, just as thin wires begun to constrict him.

"What the Oum!?" The Lieutenant growled, his hand beginning to bleed as the wires dug into it. Whoever was attempting to garrotte him had a ridiculous amount of strength, as well as the stealth to match. "Who are you!?"

"..." His attacker remained silent, his only answer to further increase the force behind the wire. The Lieutenant could feel the wire cutting deep into his flesh. Any further and it would hit bone.

"A-as if!" The Lieutenant roared, swinging his chainsaw backwards. Schokolade jumped back, his wire loosening for a fraction of a second. In that instant, the Lieutenant escaped from Schokolade's trap, creating a few feet of distance between the two giants. "Schokolade!"

"..." Schokolade took his regular combat stance, with his two hands hanging loosely at his sides. The Lieutenant sprung forward, intending to rush Schokolade and prevent him from using his techniques.

He had taken two steps before blood exploded from his chest. The Lieutenant's eyes widened in shock as he realised a deep gash had opened on his chest. Had it not been for his aura and natural sturdiness, the Lieutenant would have been killed instantly. Even as it was, the wound was still heavy, the Lieutenant falling to his knees from the damage.

"..." Schokolade looked at the Lieutenant on the floor in front of him, before raising his hand above his head. Wires flowed from his fingertips, so thin that they were almost invisible. The wires were so light and they were floating in the air, the slightest wind sending them fluttering.

"I-impossible!" The Lieutenant gasped. He was staring at the thin wires, the ones which had so effortlessly cut through his defences. "How could such thin things be so-"

Schokolade swung his hand down. At the same time, a humming noise filled the surrounding area as the wires were supercharged with electricity. The wires straightened, becoming thin blades with ridiculous cutting power. Upon touching the Lieutenant's body, they effortlessly cleaved through, the wires thin enough to take advantage of the tiny cracks in the Lieutenant's defenses. More wounds opened up on the Faunus' body.

"Gah!" The slashes hadn't hurt in the slightest, the electricity having numbed the Lieutenant's pain receptors. The blood loss however, was steadily draining his strength. "Y-you monster!"

"..." Schokolade raised his other hand, his electrified wires prepared to end the Lieutenant's life. Before he could land the killing blow, a smattering of gunfire interrupted him.

Schokolade's aura meant that he was unharmed, but the gunfire managed to distract him, allowing the Lieutenant to retreat to a safe distance.

"Run Lieutenant!" The White Fang small fry shouted, unleashing another barrage at Schokolade. Despite Cacao's attacks, a small group had gathered to courage to stand up and attack Schokolade. "We'll hold him off for as long as we-"

The small group of White Fang were silenced as Schokolade unleashed his wires on them. Unlike the Lieutenant, their auras and natural defenses were nowhere near strong enough to resist Schokolade's assault, and were hence slashed to tiny pieces.

"..." Schokolade turned his attention back to the injured Lieutenant, the distractions having been brutally removed. He pointed his finger at the Lieutenant's forehead, intending to pierce the Lieutenant's skull and kill him instantly.

The Lieutenant gave Schokolade a defiant look, refusing to show fear even in the face of death. His body could no longer move, his aura having been completely spent.

"..." Sensing the Lieutenant's resolve, Schokolade gave a curt nod, before focusing his aura into his fingertip. The tip begun to glow blue as Schokolade used his semblance to increase the wire's penetrating power. "..well fought."

"Thanks." The Lieutenant grinned, welcoming the end.

* * *

"Damn it!" Cacao swore, parrying an attack from Cassandra. The wolf faunus had led Cacao into a more enclosed area, where she had used the ceiling and walls to quickly close the distance. While Cacao was an expert at close-quarters combat, Cassandra was a specialist, so the Vanagandr sub-commander quickly found himself on the losing end. "You're pretty good!"

"You aren't half bad either." Cassandra launched another kick, using the momentum to spin in the air and land in a crouch. Her combat style was wild and unpredictable, consisting of attacks from crazy angles and positions. Cacao's reflexes were the only thing that had prevented him from being defeated almost immediately. "Those bullets would have killed me if they'd hit."

"Pity they didn't." Cacao's weapon was already dented, Cassandra's attacks having been heavy enough to damage the cannon. It was still usable, but Cacao wasn't sure how many attacks it could block. "Would have saved me a lot of trouble."

"Well, life doesn't always go your way." Cassandra lunged forward with her sai, striking Cacao's weapon once more. A huge dent appeared at the impact point. Cassandra continued her assault, her stabs striking the same point over and over again. "I wanted to fight your commander, not you."

"What is with your obsession with Fenris?" Cacao winced as he felt his weapon break from Cassandra's blow. Tossing it aside, Cacao took a unarmed combat stance. "Sure, she may have murdered hundreds of White Fang by herself, but you don't hate her."

"What makes you say that?" Cassandra swung her sai at Cacao's face, only to be forced back by a counter kick aimed at her ribs. "You're not wrong."

"I like to think I can read people pretty well." Cacao threw a jab, missing Cassandra by a hairbreadth. "So if it's not hate, what does your obsession stem from?"

"Fenris is the person I love the most." Cassandra replied. The reply caught Cacao off guard, allowing Cassandra to strike him in the stomach. The attack sent him reeling, his stomach heavily bruised.

"You _love_ her!?" Shock was evident on Cacao's face, even after the painful strike he had taken. "How could a Faunus even meet Fenris without being murdered!?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cassandra grinned and lashed out with her foot.

"No, not really." Cacao guarded against the kick and countered with a punch. The attack caught Cassandra in the calve, damaging the muscles and restricting her movements. "I really don't have that much interest in your rotten love for my boss. Especially since she'd kill you without a thought."

"But isn't that beautiful in itself?" Cassandra continued to attack, even as her tone turned lustful. "Fenris is violence incarnate, a force of nature who relentlessly kills everything in her path. Whatever she wants, she takes. And woe behold whoever stands in her way."

Cassandra shivered, her face ecstatic. "That indifference to anything but herself, that effortless brutality, that utter lack of empathy for those weaker then she is. How could you not love her?!"

"Now that's just wrong." Cacao's face indicated just how vile he found Cassandra. "You fell in love with our leader because of _that_? I should just put you down right now, out of pity."

"Don't trample on my love!" Cassandra yelled, rushing at Cacao. "What would you know about Fenris!"

"I know that she'll never love you back." Cacao grabbed Cassandra's arm and twisted it, re-directing her into the ground. The earth cracked underneath Cassandra from the force of the technique. "I know she'll murder you without a thought not because you're a White Fang member, but because you simply stood in front of her."

"And that would be a glorious way to die! At the hands of my beloved!" Cassandra sprung back up, her aura having protected her from the brunt of the attack. Cacao however, placed his palm against her stomach, injecting her aura directly into her body. This attack left a mark, as blood leaked from the corner of Cassandra's mouth.

"No, it would be a foolish way to die." Cacao grabbed the back of Cassandra's neck and pulled it down. At the same time, he thrust his knee upwards, catching the Faunus in the nose. A horrible crack echoed through the cavern as her nose broke. Cassandra would have stumbled back, had Cacao not had a firm grip on her head. "Don't misunderstand, I'm trying to kill you right now. But at least you'd die at my hands in a way befitting one of your skill. If Fenris got to you...you'd be dead in an instant."

Cassandra couldn't answer, the pain from her broken nose and damaged innards robbing her of her ability to speak. She did however, manage to punch Cacao in the liver. Cacao simply tanked the blow, before smashing his elbow into the back of her head. The attack dislodged a portion of her spinal cord, killing her instantly.

"Sleep well." Cacao muttered, letting Cassandra's corpse fall to the ground. "I'll remember you as a warrior Cassandra." Cacao bent down and closed Cassandra's eyes.

"If Fenris had killed you instead of me, she would have already forgotten your name."

* * *

A bullet caught Schokolade between the eyes. Unlike the previous rounds, this one had enough strength to pierce his aura and crack his mask. Sensing another attack, Schokolade created a net with his strings.

A moment later, a blade clashed against the strings. Had Schokolade not embedded them with his aura and semblance, the blade would have cut through.

"Lieutenant." A new voice spoke. It was low and gravelly, with an exasperated tone. The speaker was dressed in a red and black suit, with a stylised grimm mask covering half his face and red hair sticking from around it. "What do you think you're doing."

"Adam." The Lieutenant rumbled. He was still incapable of standing, but his wounds were beginning to heal, albeit slowly. "We got attacked."

"I can see that." Adam looked at Schokolade, before scanning the surroundings. "Seems like Cassandra's dead."

"You're welcome for that as well." Cacao said from behind Schokolade. "She broke my bloody weapon in the progress though."

"I wasn't thanking you, Vanagandr scum." Adam took a combat stance, his hand prepared to unleash a storm of slashes at the two Vanagandr sub-commanders. "Cassandra was a pup in the Den of Beasts, strong but unfocused. I promise you that I am not the same."

"No respect for the dead? How cruel." Cacao stood next to Schokolade, still protected by Schokolade's net. "But I can see that you're quite strong. You're Adam Taurus aren't you? The current White Fang forward leader-"

"The one and the same."

"-as well as the sole survivor the Vacuo incident." Cacao finished, a mocking grin on his face. "You were the only one who survived against Fenris weren't you? The man who hid underneath his comrades' bodies as they were ruthlessly slaughtered. The coward-"

Cacao and Schokolade leaped back as several slashes tore the net to pieces. Had the two remained standing, the attacks would have damaged them.

"Shut up!" Adam roared, Cacao's taunts having struck home. "I dedicated my life to the White Fang to erase the coward that I once was! For that single mistake, I have had a lifetime of regret." Adam's aura flared up, the carvings on his mask glowing red as his emotions flared. "But no longer. I'll atone for my sins and avenge my comrades by killing you!"

"Oh Oum." Cacao laughed, while Schokolade smiled beneath his mask (not that anyone could see it.) "He actually thinks he can kill the two of us."

"Do you think I jest!?" Adam launched a huge number of slashes at the two Hunters, only for Schokolade and Cacao to effortlessly dodge them.

"No, I don't." Cacao replied, concentrating his aura into his right hand. At the same time, Schokolade begun to unravel his strings. "I honestly think that if this fight dragged on long enough, even if it was two on one, you would win."

"Then accept your-"

"The key term being _long enough_." Cacao suddenly placed his palm on the ground. "I wonder, with all your strength, can you survive a cave in?"

Adam's eyes widened behind his mask as Cacao pressed his palm into the ground. The cavern, already heavily damaged by Cacao's artillery fire, immediately begun to crumble as Cacao's aura caused the cracks to spread and grow. In an instant, huge pieces of rubble begun to fall from the ceiling, crushing White Fang corpses and destroying footing.

Adam was forced to jump back as rubble landed between him and the Vanagandr members. The Lieutenant had managed to force himself to his feet, and had already retreated into one of the tunnels. Adam took one last look at where the Vanagandr members were, before following after the Lieutenant.

"They're gone." Cacao said, completely unperturbed by the falling stones. Schokolade's net had encapsulated them, as well as created a pathway to the nearest exit. Luckily the cavern's stone contained high concentrations of metals, allowing Schokolade to use his semblance and wires to create crude electromagnets to deflect debris. "That was scary."

"..." Schokolade continued to feel with his wires, making sure that there weren't any surprises hiding. While the cave-in had probably killed every single person in the cavern save for themselves, it was best to be careful. Zombies didn't exist, but there were some individuals who were very good at playing dead. "..."

"Ah right." Cacao looked at the tunnel which was to serve as their exit. From his vantage point, he could see it was sloping down instead of up. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to wing it then~"

"..."

"I doubt they'll attack tomorrow evening, seeing as we killed pretty much all of them save for Adam and that chainsaw guy." Cacao gave Schokolade a thumbs up. "So Winter and Cassian can have a good date! And my sister will remain innocent!"

"..." Schokolade begun to walk down the tunnel, wondering if he could refrain from murdering his partner while they tried to find a way out of the underground labyrinth.

* * *

Weiss Schnee had mixed feelings about her current class. While the guest teacher was no doubt more than qualified to teach hunter and huntresses-in-training about combat, she was in the end Weiss' sister.

In Weiss' eyes, this either meant that Winter would be very kind or very cruel to her. Knowing Winter, Weiss suspected it would be the latter.

"Pay attention." Winter said, silencing the entire arena. The place was filled with students from all across the board, as well as a few active duty Hunters and Huntresses. In the corner of the room, Weiss could see Cassian leaning against a pillar, his eyes scanning the stands for potential danger. His shades were tucked into his shirt, showing off his eyes. "Today I will be facilitating this class. Now, I'm sure some of you saw my demonstration yesterday with my sister."

Weiss felt the entire class turn their gaze to her for an instant, before returning to Winter. It was unnerving, to say the least.

"Well, I decided that today's class would be focused on unarmed combat, as yesterday's spar indicated that you appear to woefully lack any true hand-to-hand combat skills."

Weiss felt her cheeks blush at Winter's insult. She knew that she was severely lacking in hand-to-hand combat skills compared to her elder sister, but that was because Weiss had focused solely on mastering Myrtenaster.

"In combat, you never know when you'll lose your weapon." Winter held her hand in front of her face. As Weiss watched, her hand began to glow as she focused her aura into it. "While aura is generally seen as a defensive skill, proper control can allow it to become just as destructive as a weapon."

Winter thrust her palm into the air, causing the ceiling to crack from the displaced air. Weiss' eyes widened, as well as many of the other students. They hadn't known such a thing was possible.

"Projectile techniques are possible as well, though I will admit I don't specialise in them. My preference is body enhancement." Winter cloaked her entire body in aura, before punching the ground. Weiss felt the ground rumble as her Winter's blow cleanly cracked the ground into two pieces. Winter however, was completely unharmed, her aura having protected her from any backlash. "Colonel Gray however is more adept with weapon enhancement techniques."

Cassian stepped forward, his right arm straightened out like a sword. As Weiss watched, his aura cloaked his hand, as well as extending several centimeters out from the tips of his fingers. Winter kicked a piece of the floor at Cassian, who swung his hand gently. The piece of rock was immediately cleaved in two, Cassian's hand having acted as a makeshift sword.

"Thank you Colonel." Cassian gave a small bow, before returning to his observation spot. "Now then, since this is a single class, I won't bother teaching you any of these techniques. I showed these to you because I want you to take the initiative to learn these yourself. Every person's combat style is different, hence every person should have the ability to choose techniques suitable for themselves."

In the background, Weiss could see Cassian looking at Winter with a _What the Oum_ face.

"Um." Coco Adel, who just so happened to be sitting next to Weiss, leaned over to the Schnee heiress and whispered in her ear. "Your sister does know that what she showed us are Atlas military secrets right? As in, no one outside of the Atlas military instructors are allowed to teach those techniques?"

Weiss didn't answer, not sure herself what the answer was. She wondered if anyone was willing to point out this slight issue to Winter. Somehow she doubted anyone would.

After all, no one really wanted to get beaten within an inch of their life by Winter Schnee.

Except maybe Sage.

* * *

 **Another chapter! I felt like we should take a peek at what the White Fang are up to, as well as give Schokolade and Cacao some screen time! (OK, I really just wanted to write a fight scene, I'll admit it.)**

 **We see Winter make a blunder for the first time, with people actually noticing it. Her real personality is starting to leak through, which is both endearing and...perhaps a bit dangerous.**

 **Next chapter we get some fluff, as well as the start of the dance! (The second major event of the story!)**

 **Review and Fave!**

 **Ferris**


	14. Fragments: First Date

**Fragments #2**

 **First Date**

Winter Schnee took a deep breath and checked herself in her mirror. She was in one of her many apartments located throughout Remnant. It was after 10 PM and Winter had just finished a long dinner with yet another politician who wanted Pale Horse's services. The Colonel had since retired to his room on the floor below, stating that he needed to eat something.

Winter gave her clothing another run-down. She was dressed in a white lace t-shirt and matching skinny jeans. Casual, but classy. Her hair was tied in a single ponytail, while her fringe remained over her right eye. Simple but elegant slippers adorned her feet.

Satisfied, Winter grabbed the tray of food that she had prepared a few minutes ago. A bowl of rice, with a few side dishes of fish, meat and vegetables. Perfect for a young male with a rocking hot-

Winter immediately felt her cheeks turn red at the thought. Sure, she had watched as Cassian had grown from a small boy to a well-groomed, jaw-droppingly attra-

"Stop!" Winter shouted to herself. "Stop thinking about his-ARRRGH!"

After a few minutes of yelling, Winter managed to sufficiently calm down enough to think about Cassian without...delusions.

"I'm just giving him some food as thanks." Winter mumbled to herself, as she walked down the staircase that connected her apartment with Cassian's personal quarters. "That's all. There isn't any ulterior motive or anything. It's not like I fell for his cute smile, charming words and genuine kindness. No, it's not that at all…" Winter trailed off, perfectly aware of exactly what she was feeling. She had been talking to Fred about it all day after all.

Eventually, Winter found herself in front of Cassian's door. Taking one last breath, she knocked. That act alone would have horrified anyone who had seen it. Winter Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, knocking on her subordinate's door? But Winter didn't mind. After all, it wasn't like there was anyone else in the house save for the two of them. The thought made her cheeks redden.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Cassian. Upon seeing Winter, Cassian blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, Mistress. Sorry I took so long, I was busy doing-"

"CASSIAN GRAY!" A female voice shouted from inside Cassian's room, nearly making Winter drop her tray in surprise. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, LEAVING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A CALL!"

"Ugh." Cassian groaned and scratched his head. He was wearing a loose-fitting jersey that slid off his shoulders and a pair of dark gray boxers. "Sorry about that mistress. She's rather impat-"

"CASSIAN IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE I'LL BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF YOU!" The voice yelled.

"Haaa…." Cassian sighed and gave Winter an apologetic look. "Sorry mistress, let me just take care of this and I'll get back to you alright? Actually, why don't you come in. I'll only be a minute."

"Thank you." Winter stepped across the threshold and into Cassian's room. With a start, she realised that this was actually the first time she had ever entered Cassian's quarters.

Looking around, Winter was struck by how _personal_ Cassian's room was. Posters of books and shows covered the walls. A small bookshelf was stacked with a mix of comics and novels, all haphazardly stored in with no apparent order. A table with numerous weapons lying on it, along with various tools and bottles for adjusting and customizing them. A bed, surprisingly well made compared to the rest of the room, with two or three scrolls of varying sizes lying on it.

Finally, a small projector which was hooked up to his computer. The projector was currently projecting the face of a beautiful woman onto the only clear wall in the room. The woman had dark brown hair with light blonde streaks through it.

"Hi I'm back." Cassian waved at the computer. To Winter's surprise, the face on the wall reacted. She had thought Cassian had a model's face for his background.

"About time." The face huffed. "I'm sure you wouldn't keep your employer waiting, so why would you keep a lady waiting as well?"

"Because it was my employer who was at the door…?" Cassian stepped aside, allowing the computer camera to capture Winter's image. "Canna, this is my mistress Winter."

"Mistress? Cassian is that a kink thing-"

"No!" Both Winter and Cassian shouted. Canna, seeing their synchronised reactions, laughed.

"Anyways Cass, I'll leave you with your _mistress-_ " Canna wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, eliciting a sigh from Cassian and a blush from Winter. "-so make sure to call me later kay? I can see what you meant when you said Winter was drop dead gorgeous~ " Canna gave Winter a wink. "Ciao!"'

"Canna-" Cassian shouted, but Canna had already hung up. The two of them were silent for a few minutes, the awkwardness of what Canna had ended with stifling any possible conversation.

"Sorry about that." Cassian finally said, turning his computer off and plopping himself onto the bed. Winter, after a moment, carefully sat down next to him. "Canna's pretty forward to say the least."

"Is she...your girlfriend?" For some reason, saying the words made Winter's heart ache.

"Girlfriend? You're joking right? She's my sister." A sense of relief flowed through Winter's body at Cassian's words. "Also, she's eight years older than I am."

"Wait, she's nearly 30?" Winter had thought that Canna had been no older than twenty-five at the most.

"And she has two kids aged eight and six."

"She's a mother!?" Cassian nodded. "Wow...that's crazy."

Suddenly, Cassian's stomach grumbled.

"Ah, I almost forgot to eat dinner." Winter was about to tell him about her meal, but noticed Cassian retrieve a black case from under his bed. Flipping it open, Winter was shocked to see a syringe and various bottles of liquid. "Normally I do this earlier, but Canna kept me for bloody ages."

"Wait." Winter put her hand on Cassian's shoulder, stopping him from continuing. "Is that your...dinner?"

"Yeah." Cassian replied, pulling his sleeve up and wrapping a piece of fabric around his forearm. "Atlas Military Emergency Rations remember?"

"Yes I do." Winter wrinkled her nose in disgust. For a week, they had been required to rely solely on the intravenous rations for sustenance. "But like the name suggests, those are meant for _emergencies_ , not regular consumption." Winter looked Cassian straight in the eye. "How often do you use these Cassian?"

"Ah...well you see…" Cassian scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "Um...18 times or so a week?"

Winter blinked. "You use them for most of your meals?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well, outside of sleeping, training and my duties to you, I don't really have anytime to actually _eat_." Noticing Winter's horrified look, Cassian quickly added. "I do eat real food though!"

Winter looked at Cassian's trashbin, which was overflowing with junk food packets. Stomping over to his mini-fridge, Winter threw the door open.

Inside, stacked floor to ceiling, were ice cream sandwiches of various flavors.

"...This is what you consider _real food_?" A dangerous tone had entered Winter's voice.

"W-well...it uses my digestive tract?" Cassian offered weakly.

"...Here." Winter placed her tray of now-cold food on Cassian's desk. "Eat this."

Cassian peered at the array of dishes. "Did you...cook this?"

"Yes, so what?" Winter asked, her face flushing scarlet.

"Just curious." Cassian used the provided chopsticks to pop a piece of meat into his mouth. After a few seconds of chewing, he swallowed, before reaching for a piece of fish.

"How is it?"

 _Drip_.

A tear fell from Cassian's face and onto the food. Winter, seeing this emotional response, found herself at a loss of words.

"S-sorry." Cassian stuttered, wiping the tears away. "It's just been...so long since I've eaten home-cooked food."

"Is it really that special?" Winter inwardly winced. That definitely came out wrong.

"I guess it's kind of stupid, me crying over something as simple as this." Cassian gave Winter a smile, seemingly unaffected by her comment. "My sister used to cook for me back at home. Our parents were always away on hunts, so it was really just down to her to take care of me. When I joined the academy, I always treated meals like a waste of time, hence the emergency rations. So it's nice to have a cooked meal." Cassian made a move as if he was about to hug Winter, only to stop himself just in time. "Thank you."

Winter blinked, feeling her cheeks blush at Cassian's heartfelt words. "It's...you're welcome."

Perhaps it was this tiny, almost insignificant event, which allowed their feelings to truly bloom.

* * *

 **Fluff. Fluff. Too much fluff.**

 **Ferris**


	15. Knot

"ARRGH!" Winter moaned and buried her face in a pillow. Her and Cassian were back in their hotel room, and Cassian had just told her about her blunder. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL MEEEEEEE!"

"And embarrass you in front of the entire class?" Cassian chuckled. He was sipping some hot tea from his home island. "I couldn't do that to you!"

"But-but…" Winter whimpered into the pillow. "I embarrassed myself in front of Weeeeeiss!"

"That's what you're worried about?" Cassian poured himself some tea out of his ceramic teapot, before placing his cup back onto the bedside table."I'm sure she isn't too bothered by it-"

Cassian's scroll vibrated, distracting him. Pulling the object out, Cassian checked the screen. It was a message from Weiss.

"Who is it?" Winter asked, her face still in Cassian's pillow.

"Give me a second." Cassian unlocked the scroll and opened the message.

 _To: Cassian Gray_

 _From: Weiss Schnee_

 _Subject: Big Sister_

 _Dear Cassian,_

 _I hope this message finds you well-_

Cassian couldn't help but smile at the formality of the message. It was very Schnee-like, to say the least.

 _-but I just wanted to check on Winter. I assume by now that you've mentioned her blunder to her, and knowing my sister, she's probably sobbing into her pillow whilst blaming you for not telling her beforehand, in her typical unreasonable fashion._

"Harsh, but true." Cassian mused. Winter hadn't heard him, as she was too busy feeling regretful. "Guess little Weiss isn't as unperceptive as before."

 _I also am assuming she doesn't have a dress for tonight-_

"OK that's impressive."

 _-so I took the liberty of having one sent by courier. It should have arrived at the front desk by now._

"Wait, how do you know her three-"

 _You can thank Vale Gossip Girl XOXO for giving me her measurements._

"..." Cassian made a mental note to hunt down the administrator of the said blog.

 _I expect that you've planned something special for my sister, seeing as this is the first proper date you two have had in awhile._

"Right this is getting a bit creepy. When did she learn from Cacao?" Cassian had planned something for Winter, not that he'd told anyone.

 _Perhaps you should do something with flowers? Winter absolutely adores lilies._

"Of course she would." Cassian thought back to a previous conversation she had had with Winter. "Better grab a few."

 _The lilies are also downstairs. They're white of course._

"..."

 _Don't misunderstand. I just want my sister to have a perfect evening._

"...haa." Cassian smiled and shook his head. "What a nice little sister."

"Did you say little sister?" Winter's head shot up. "Are you talking to Weiss!"

"No!" Cassian said a little too quickly, locking his scroll. Winter pounced on him, surprising Cassian and causing him to drop his scroll on the bed. Like lightning, the older Schnee grabbed the scroll from the sheets and fiddled with the device.

"What's your password?" Winter asked. It the short scuffle, she had ended up straddling his waist.

"Not telling." Cassian grinned. Winter stuck her tongue out at him, before punching some keys into the scroll.

"Ugh, it isn't _Winterislife_?"

"Nope." Cassian couldn't help but laugh as Winter got progressively more and more annoyed as her passwords kept getting rejected. "Careful, you might lock-"

 _You have three tries remaining. Should the password inputted be wrong for all three attempts, this scroll will wipe itself clean._

"Ah, damn-"

 _Hint: When did innocence die?_

"-what?" Winter blinked, before turning her gaze to Cassian. "Cassian?"

"...ha." Cassian, after a moment, let out a small laugh. "You know what the password is."

Winter looked at Cassian, before typing in a date. With a click, the scroll unlocked, revealing Weiss' message. Winter however, didn't bother reading it, instead choosing to focus on the man she was straddling.

Cassian's expression seemed neutral, but Winter had been with him long enough to catch on to the small tics that he had that indicated otherwise. The slight darkening of his pupils, the tiny grimace at the corners of his mouth. All these miniscule indications of Cassian's mood.

"I'm sorry." Winter bent down and placed her forehead against Cassian's. "I know that-"

"It's fine." Cassian replied. He could hide his pain well, but Winter saw right through it. "It was a long time ago."

"Cass." Winter continued to stare directly into Cassian's eyes, their noses nearly touching. "I want you to remember something."

"Yes?"

"I will always be here." Winter accented each word with a soft kiss. "I will not die. And I will not leave you alone." Winter looked at Cassian, her face full of love. "OK Cass?"

"...alright." Cassian smiled back, all traces of his previous mood gone. "I love you Winter."

"And I love you too." Winter leaned in for a deeper kiss, with Cassian happily obliging.

* * *

Weiss Schnee gave a little twirl in front of the bathroom mirror. She was wearing a sky-blue and white dress which reached down to just below her knees. While Weiss refused to wear a dress that hugged her body (partly because she didn't feel it was appropriate, and partly because she lacked the figure to pull off such a dress), the dress she wore managed to show off enough of her (limited) contours to be considered sensual.

"I think you look pretty good." Weiss gushed to the mirror. "Why thank you Weiss, I think you look pretty cute as wel-"

"Weiss, are you done complimenting yourself in the mirror?" Blake asked from behind the bathroom door, causing Weiss to jump. Damn enhanced Faunus hearing! "Because I need to get ready-"

"I was not complimenting myself in the mirror!" Weiss shouted, turning red.

"Sure. Can I use the bathroom now?"

"Not until you say I wasn't!"

"OK, you weren't saying _you look pretty good_ to yourself in the mirror and replying with _I think you look pretty cute_."

Weiss tried to come up with a coherent response to that, but found that she was unable to do so. Instead, she simply opened the door and stormed out of the bathroom without a word, before plopping herself on the bed. Luckily, neither Yang nor Ruby were in the room at the moment, saving Weiss from a teasing session from the sisters.

"Thank you." Blake shot Weiss a grin, before disappearing into the bathroom. Weiss could hear the sound of the shower being turned on.

Sighing, Weiss fell back onto the bed. Neptune was meant to come pick her up in around an hour, so Weiss had nothing to do for the time being.

"I wonder if Winter liked the dress." Weiss mumbled to herself. She had chosen the dress herself, picking it from a catalogue that she'd seen on Yang's table. Acquiring it in Winter's size had been a bit harder (Weiss remembered feeling a bit angry as she realised just how amazing Winter's sizes were. They were so perfect that even the store had asked if Weiss was sure.) but the power of money ultimately prevailed.

As if in response to her mumblings, Weiss' scroll buzzed. Rolling over, Weiss groped around for her scroll, eventually finding it on her desk. Tapping her passcode in (Whiterose), Weiss saw that it was a message from Cassian.

 _To: Weiss Schnee_

 _From: Cassian Gray_

 _Subject: Big sister_

 _Hey Weiss-_

"He's being quite casual isn't he." Weiss muttered, not very angry at all. "Insolent-ah, nevermind."

 _Thanks for the flowers and dress. Winter loved the dress, but hasn't seen the flowers yet. I put them along with the rest of the surprise I have for her after the dance-_

"There better not be any implied se-hanky panky in this text." Weiss grumbled at the memory, before returning to her scroll.

 _-which I hope she'll enjoy. I thought I'd tell you that while I am escorting Winter to the ball, I'm not actually going to be dancing her there. Ultimately, there is a chance that some rumor may get out via one of the students, even if there are no cameras at the event. So do you mind keeping Winter company during the ball? I promise I'll make it up to you and her, albeit on separate occasions._

 _Thanks,_

 _Cassian._

"So they're not even dancing together?" Weiss knew that logically, Cassian's decision made perfect sense. Yet there was some part of her that wished that her sister and her lover could actually be lovers in public. "How sad."

Weiss decided that she'd do anything she could to make sure that Winter would have a good evening, if only to play some part in assuring her big sister's happiness.

* * *

"Wow." Ruby's eyes widened as they approached the dance hall. Unlike the previous event, which had been student run and led, this event had involved professional planners. Hence, the ballroom had been transformed into a fairy-tale wonderland far beyond the skills of any Hunter or Huntresses in training.

Even Weiss, who had grown up going to such events, was awed by what she saw. The theme was Winter Wonderland (no doubt due to Winter's attendance), and the ballroom was covered in white. Fake snow, a mix of aura and some other material, falls from the ceiling, dissolving upon contact to avoid it becoming annoying.

"It's nice isn't it?" Yang asked. She was wearing a similar dress to the one she had worn before, except this one was a mix of dark yellows. "Coco told me that they'd be a snow machine, but I didn't think it would be like this."

"It's amazing…" Blake's eyes watched as a snowflake fell on her bare arm, disappearing the moment it brushed against her skin. "So pretty…"

"It is beautiful isn't it?" Attached to Blake's arm was Sun, who had actually donned an actual suit for the event (albeit with the top three buttons undone). "It doesn't snow in Vacuo at all."

"It sometimes snows in Mistral." Neptune interjected, also attached to his date's (Weiss') arm. "But only when a cold front comes in from the North."

"Really? Patch snowed every winter." Yang wrapped her younger sister in a hug. "Rubes and I used to play in the snow all day until Dad came out with hot chocolate."

"Atlas was always very cold." Weiss reminisced, remembering the snow that always blanketed the Schnee estate each winter. "The winters were always very harsh, so we'd either stay in the estate or go holidaying somewhere warmer."

"You still remember that little sister?" Winter's voice said from behind the group. "It's been an age since we last did that."

Turning around, Weiss felt her jaw drop. Next to her, she could feel Neptune shift uncomfortably. Normally, such a reaction to another woman would have gotten Neptune a slap from Weiss, but even Weiss had to admit that Winter was...well…

"Holy Oum." Yang muttered. "I nearly batted for the other team just now."

That, Weiss had to admit, was a very good way to describing the general reaction to Winter's appearance. While Weiss had chosen the dress for Winter, she hadn't been able to imagine just how _good_ her older sister would look in it.

"Oh my." Winter smiled. She was too classy to smirk. "Have I shocked you all speechless?"

"M-m-ma." Neptune's jaw went up and down, but nothing coherent left his mouth. Sun simply stared, seemingly forgetting to both speak, and judging from his sharp inhale, breath.

A soft cough shook the group out of their...state. Standing to the side of Winter and perhaps half a meter behind her, was Cassian. He was dressed in a simple charcoal suit with a white tie. His sunglasses were gone, replaced instead with a pair of black wire-framed glasses which showed his brown eyes.

"Good evening." Cassian greeted the group of students, a small smile on his face. "Ms. Weiss, you look beautiful tonight."

"Hello Colonel." Weiss held her hand out to Cassian, who took it and gave it a chaste kiss. A small blush had appeared on her face. "Thank you for the compliment Colonel. You look rather dashing yourself."

"I pale in comparison to you." Cassian let Weiss' hand go, before doing similar exchanges with the other ladies. With just a few words, he had reduced the other members of Team RWBY to stuttering messes. Winter and Cassian truly were made for each other, Weiss thought to herself.

"He could give us a lesson in smooth." Sun muttered to Neptune.

"I have to agree with you on that." Neptune mumbled back, watching as Cassian retreated next to Winter. "He's damn good."

"Shall we go in?" Winter asked, subtly sliding her arm through Cassian's. "It would not be good to keep the public waiting."

* * *

Winter had to admit, she was on cloud nine. While Cassian had stealthily slipped out of her grasp once they entered the ballroom to 'find punch', the short contact they'd had had been electrifying, to say the least.

"Having fun big sister?" Weiss asked, appearing at Winter's side. "Neptune's gone to get drinks."

"I am." Winter replied, the only indication of her joy being the twinkle in her eyes. "I have to thank you for the dress. Cassian was...blown away, to say the least."

Weiss gave her big sister a quick look over. She still couldn't come up with a proper description for what Winter was wearing, other than if they weren't blood related, Weiss was pretty sure she'd be questioning her sexuality.

"Really?"

"It's been a long time since he was so grabby~" Winter placed her hand on her cheek and giggled softly. "Just thinking about it is-"

"Stop. Now." Weiss shook her head as unholy images of Cassian and Win- "I don't want to think about it."

Winter smiled and gently patted her younger sister on the shoulder. "Weiss, I'm aware that as a young lady, you will get urges-"

"Please no." Weiss cut her sister off.

"I'm serious." Winter looked into her younger sister's eyes. "I loved Cassian, so I had no issue with consummating our relationship. While I'm not saying you have to wait _for the one_ before you do anything, at the same time you shouldn't rush it. Only do it if you're comfortable."

"Big sis-"

"Also, if you decide to get kinky, do proper preparations beforehand. It hurts if you don't."

"WINTER!"

* * *

"So yeah, everything's ready."

"Thanks Yin." Cassian hung up his scroll and slid it into his pocket. He was loitering around the punch bowl, having been going over the last few details with Yin.

"Uh, hey." A male voice suddenly spoke behind Cassian. Turning around, Cassian found himself face-to-face with a boy with shaggy blond hair. "You don't have a date either?"

"Perhaps." Cassian gave the boy a smile. "How about you?"

"Well it's a funny story actually." The blond boy scratched his head, an awkward smile on his face. "You see, I-"

"Jaune!" A female voice suddenly called out, interrupting the blond boy mid-sentence. A red haired girl wearing a matching dress suddenly grabs the blonde by the arm. "There you are! I was wondering-" The girl trails off as she notices Cassian. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did I interrupt you two?"

"Not at all." Cassian smiled. "My name is Cassian Gray."

"Pyrrha Nikos." The red-haired girl replied. "This here is my team leader, Jaune Arc."

"Arc?" Cassian tapped a finger to his chin. "It wouldn't be the _Arc's of Vytal_ would it?"

"The one and only." Jaune replied, not sounding very energetic.

"Heh." Cassian could sense something in the boy, a trait imprinted in his aura. It was something that Cassian didn't sense very often.

Raw potential.

"Well, keep at the training." Cassian patted Jaune's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll become a famous Hunter in your own right."

"Uh...thanks?" Jaune scratched his arm, a bit embarrassed by the random praise.

"Also Ms. Nikos." Cassian turned her attention to the red-haired amazon. "It was a pleasure meeting the representative of Pumpkin Pete cereal."

"It was a pleasure meeting you as well, Mr. Gray."

With a small wave, Cassian wandered away from the pair. In his mind, he imagined the trials and tribulations the two would one day face in the future, as well as the immense growth that they'd experience.

It made him happy to see such rising stars among the future defenders of the world.

* * *

"So, where are you taking me then?" Winter asked. Cassian had suddenly dragged her out of the ball, stating he had something to show her. The two of them had left the dance behind, and were now approaching the clocktower that towered over Beacon. "And why are we going toward Ozpin's office?"

"Because that's where the surprise is." Cassian replied, pulling her into the elevator and pressing the button for the rooftop. "Can mi'lady wait a few minutes?"

Winter snuggled into Cassian's arm, deliberately making sure that certain... _assets_ were in close contact with Cassian's body. "I'll wait as long as you need me to."

Cassian let out a laugh just as the elevator dinged and the door slid open.

When Winter saw what lay beyond the doors, her jaw dropped. Cassian, seeing her reaction, chuckled.

"Like it?" The rooftop of the clocktower had been completely transformed. The stone tiles had been cleaned and polished so they shone in the moonlight. White lilies decorated every surface, while smaller red roses provided a beautiful contrast. At the centre of the clocktower was a single table, with two glasses and a bottle of champagne. A music box was softly playing classical music, the rooftop providing natural acoustics.

The most beautiful thing however, was the sight of the broken moon. From the rooftop, the moon seemed gigantic, its light shrouding everything Winter could see in a soft glow.

"I-I-" Winter stuttered. She couldn't even fathom the words to describe how she was feeling.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Cassian gently led Winter to the table, where he poured them each a flute of champagne. "Cheers."

"C-cheers." Winter mumbled, still a bit overwhelmed by the whole surprise. It was adorable, to say the least.

The two of them sipped their drinks while watching the stars. Down below, they could hear snippets of the party far below.

"It's like a whole new world up here." Cassian murmured, taking another drink from his flute. "Almost like we're detached from those below us."

"Yeah…" Winter trailed off, finding herself staring at Cassian. "It's so...beautiful."

Cassian, sensing Winter's gaze, turned to look at her. His face was relaxed, a genuine smile on his face. Reaching over, he placed a hand on Winter's cheek. "It's just us two up here, in our own little world, with no responsibilities except to each other. "

"Yeah." Winter placed her hand over Cassian's, burning the warmth of his hand into her mind. She would have happily stayed like this forever. Cassian smiled, before gently removing his hand, eliciting a soft protest from Winter.

"Wait." Cassian stuck his hand into his pocket and began to rummage around. "I assure you that you'll be happy we took this break."

Winter looked at Cassian for a moment, trying to guess his intentions. Her eyes widened when Cassian fell to one knee. _It couldn't be..._

"Winter-"

Winter felt her heart beat a million miles a minute as Cassian pulled something out from his pocket.

"-will you marry me?"

* * *

Blake perked her ears up. Sun, noticing the gesture, turned to the cat Faunus. "What's up?"

"I thought I just heard someone say _Yes_." Blake replied, taking a sip from her punch.

"Really?" Sun looked around the crowd. "I didn't hear anything."

"Eh, it's probably not important." Blake looked at the dance floor, which was rapidly filling up with people. "Do you want to dance?"

"Heck yes!" Sun replied, dragging the cat faunus onto the dance floor. "I've waited all my life for this!"

* * *

 **Guheheheheh~ We'll have a bit of insight into exactly why this happened when it happened next chapter! But for now, enjoy the ultimate fluff!**

 **Ferris Iscariot**


	16. Preparation

"Ugh." Cassian blinked and opened his eyes. His entire body hurt. Next to him Winter was sleeping with a very satisfied look on her face. "Morning love."

Winter's eyes immediately shot open. Before Cassian could say another word, the full weight of the elder Schnee had forced him back onto the bed.

"Mmm." Winter wrapped herself around Cassian, immobilising him and effectively pinning him to the bed. "You're all mine."

"That I am." Cassian replied.

"And I'm all yours."

"I wouldn't know about that-ow!" Cassian yelped as Winter pinched him.

"Cass…" Winter glared at Cassian from between her hair. "We're married-"

"Engaged." Cassian rebutted, only to yelp again when Winter pinched him harder.

"-so we belong to each other." Winter finished, having ignored Cassian's statement. "So when I say you're mine, you're meant to respond by saying that I'm yours."

"I get the odd feeling that you've thought this through quite seriously."

"I've been waiting for this moment for years."

"Years? Really?" Winter nodded. "Huh, maybe I should have done it sooner."

"You dolt." Winter pulled him in for a tighter hug. "It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we're together forever."

" _Until death do us apart."_ Cassian quoted, playing with Winter's hair. "Though I will admit, I always found that a bit morbi-" Cassian trailed off, noticing the number displayed on his scroll. "...crap."

"Hmm?" Winter looked up. "What's going on?"

"...we have twenty minutes to get to the stadium for the opening ceremony."

"...crap." Winter swore, echoing Cassian's sentiment. Getting ready and making it to the Vytal Festival Tournament would be pretty difficult.

The two of them were naked as butts afterall.

* * *

"They're late." Weiss glanced at her scroll. The opening ceremony was about to start, and she hadn't seen heads or tails of Winter and Cassian. "And they're never late."

"Maybe they got held up." Yang wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I mean, they _did_ disappear from the dance pretty early."

"Yang, for the umpteenth time, they're not dat-"

"Hello sister." Weiss felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind as Winter's voice whispered in her ear. "Isn't it such a beautiful day today?"

"Win-Winter!" Weiss yelped in surprise, partly because she hadn't sensed Winter's approach, and partly because Winter was currently hugging her in _public_. "W-what are you doing?"

"I can't hug my only sister in public?" Winter pouted cutely. "How cruel, little sister."

"No-I mean-I-uh." Weiss tried to think of a way to get out of this situation. Winter giggled.

"You're so cute when you're flustered!" Winter cooed, hugging her sister tightly. "I could just eat you up~!"

"Mistress, you're in public." Cassian's voice said from behind Winter. He was dressed in a different combat outfit from his previous one. This one was similar to those worn by Atlas Hunters, except Cassian's was gray with a multitude of tools and weapons hanging from numerous holsters on his body. Damocles' hilt was visible behind his left shoulder. "Perhaps you should restrain yourself a bit?"

"You're right." Winter released her sister and brushed herself off. Anyone could see however, that she was very, very happy. Her normally scowling face had a barely suppressed grin on it. "But it really is such a nice day."

"Hey." Yang whispered to Blake. "I'm not the only one who thinks Winter is a bit...not-Wintery right?"

"You aren't." Blake whispered back. "She seems really...happy."

"Maybe they got married?" Ruby interjected. No one noticed Cassian choke, before hastily covering it up with a cough.

"Nah, they've been saying that for years." Yang waved her hand in front of her face. "I mean, imagine if they actually got hitched. The tabloids would go absolutely insane." Yang looked at Cassian, who was trying his best to look disinterested. "Am I right Cassian?"

"Hmm? Oh yes." Cassian nodded his head. "The tabloids already have an unhealthy interest in us. As it stands, even a small hint at the idea of us being more than master and servant causes the media to converge on us like bloodhounds to a sausage."

"Wow that must suck."

"It does." Cassian sighed. "It makes security checks so hard, since they'll appear and disappear as they see fit. The number of assassination attempts I've had to thwart from the White Fang in the past few years is...well classified, but I can say it isn't a measly amount by anyone's' standard."

"Is that why you're so heavily armed?" Blake asked, pointing at Cassian's weaponry.

"Oh no, this is for the exhibition match."

"Exhibition match?"

"Yup." Cassian stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders. "I'm up against Yin. Some showcase of Atlas military might or the like."

"You versus Yin?" Yang pictured Cassian beating the feminine Hunter to the ground. "That seems kind of unfair."

"I know right?" Cassian groaned. "I don't want to be beaten into pulp."

"You don't want to be beaten into pulp? What about Yin?" Yang exclaimed. "He's so tiny and thin compared to you!"

"He's also strong enough to tank blows from a Behemoth Grimm. Add in that ridiculous semblance of his and he's basically unstoppable." Cassian scratched the back of his head. "The last time I traded blows with him was back at the Academy."

"How'd that end?"

"Badly." Cassian shivered at the memory. "Lots of explosions and screaming. I still don't recall the conclusion."

"And you two will be having an exhibition match?" Cassian shrugged. "That doesn't sound very safe at all."

"We're older and more experienced. So it'll be fine." Cassian waved his hand in front of his face. "What's the worst thing that could happen?"

* * *

"You're engaged?!" Weiss whisper-shouted. Her and Winter were currently walking a little bit away from the rest of the group, in order to have a private conversation.

"Yes!" Winter sort-of squealed. "He asked me last night on top of the clock tower."

"That's really romantic." Winter pulled her sister into a hug, crushing Weiss against her body. "Is that why you're being so touchy-feely today?"

"I'm just so happy." Winter mumbled, her voice embarrassed. "I mean, it's been my dream for such a long time."

"What are you planning to do about father?" Weiss asked. She didn't want to burst Winter's bubble, but Weiss knew that Reim Schnee would not take kindly to such a change. The strategist in Weiss told her that Winter had to make plans for the eventual confrontation. "Have you told him?"

"Yes we have." Winter replied. "I don't know how he'll react. But I will protect this happiness with my life. If father wants to take Cassian away from me, I'll strike him down myself."

"..." Weiss didn't know how to feel about this declaration. While one part of her wanted to side with her sister, her parental loyalty made such an action difficult.

"Weiss, don't worry about it." Winter, as if reading Weiss' thoughts, gently rubbed her younger sister's head. "Any conflict between myself and father doesn't concern you. Just concentrate on your own life, alright?" Winter lightly bopped Weiss on the nose. "Speaking of which, how are you and Neptune doing?"

Weiss thought back to the previous evening, after Winter and Cassian had left.

" _Come on Snow Angel." Neptune slurred, a bit tipsy. Sun had snuck a flask of Atlas Vodka into the dance, and the two boys had partaken in a few too many sips. "One kiss."_

" _Neptune you're drunk." Weiss couldn't hide the disgust she had for her fellow Hunter-in-training. "Why don't you go sit down and cool off for a while."_

" _I don't want to." Neptune leaned in, the smell of alcohol evident on his breath. "Now come here and give me a kiss~"_

"It was informative." Weiss replied, trying to sound light-hearted. "Neptune and I had a heart-to-heart."

"That's sweet." Winter gushed. "And did you learn anything important?"

" _Don't be a tease snow angel!" Neptune's hands were both rough and shaking. "Give me a peck!"_

"I did." Weiss replied.

 _Weiss drove her foot up into Neptune's groin, causing him to collapse to the ground in pain._

"I learnt a lot."

* * *

"Man I'm nervous." Cassian rubbed his hands together. He was seated in the battle preparation room. Through the speakers, he could hear the opening ceremony of the Vytal tournament being played. "I haven't had a proper fight in a long time."

"Oh my." Cassian looked up to find Winter leaning against the doorframe. "Is my knight scared?"

"Aren't you meant to be attending the ceremony?" Cassian asked, a smile growing on his face as Winter walked over and sat on his lap.

"Your point?" Winter asked, snuggling against Cassian. Her ear was directly over his heart, allowing her to hear his heartbeat slowly speed up. "I find this infinitely more important than some silly ceremony."

"Whatever you say." Cassian gently wrapped his arms around his lover, enveloping her in his warmth. Winter purred her approval.

The two of them stayed like this for a while, before Winter asked a question that had been on her mind since Cassian had asked her to marry him.

"Why now?"

"Hmm?" Cassian took a deep breath, noting the minty smell of Winter. "What do you mean?"

"Do-don't misunderstand." Winter said, flustered. "I'm so happy you asked me...but why now of all times?"

"Oh." Cassian placed his cheek against Winter's. "Well, I heard part of your speech."

"My speech?"

" _Seize the day. Speak your mind. Form bonds. Forgive your loved ones. Because you never know when you'll no longer be able to._ " Winter felt herself flush as Cassian perfectly recited her closing words. "Coming to Beacon and seeing all those people grown up really reminded me how fast time flies. Coupled with your words, and I realised that I couldn't put off proposing to you any longer. After all, with our lives, we really don't know when we'll no longer be able to-"

"Cassian, make me a promise." Winter cut her beloved off. "Promise me that you won't leave me."

"...are you that worried?" Cassian asked in a pseudo-joking tone.

"Just promise me." Winter turned to face Cassian, her eyes brimming with uncried tears. With a start, Cassian realised just how scared she was of losing him. "Please."

"...that's a big promise Winter." Cassian said after a while. "I'm a bodyguard and a soldier for one of the most hated corporations on the planet. I fully expect to die saving-"

"You cannot." Winter cut Cassian off. her tone reverting back to that of a Schnee addressing her servant. "I forbid you from dying to save me. In fact, I forbid you from dying period."

A heavy silence filled the room as Winter waited for Cassian's response.

"Do you remember when we first met? Back in Castle White all those years ago?" Cassian suddenly asked.

"Of course." Winter responded immediately. "It's one of my most fondest memories."

"And do you remember-" Cassian gently escaped from beneath Winter. "-my answer to your very first order to me?"

"Cass, you can't-" Winter made as if to reach out for Cassian, but the bodyguard slipped away.

"I love you Winter." Cassian walked towards the entrance to the arena. "And I'd give my life for you, whether you ordered me to do so or not. Because that's what I'd want to do."

His decision having been made, Cassian stepped out of the preparation room, leaving the older Schnee alone to ponder the meaning behind her lover's words.

* * *

The two Hunters stood opposite each other. Their battlefield was huge, easily half a kilometer in diameter. The spectators, thousands of them, were absolutely silent. Even they could feel the tension that the two fighters were giving off.

"Yin." Cassian murmured, his voice augmented through hidden speakers somewhere in the arena. He cleared his mind of all thoughts save for those relating to the battle in front of him. Any distractions here could potentially be fatal. "When was the last time the two of us fought?"

"Far too long ago Colonel." With a single movement, Yin drew his weapon. The gun immediately morphed into a halberd nearly twice the height of Yin. Yet the man spun the weapon with the ease of someone well versed in its usage. "It's an honor to cross swords with you once more."

"Please." Cassian laughed. His eyes however, were deadly serious. Cassian bent his legs, his hand lightly gripping Damocles' hilt. "I was no match for you before, and I'm definitely no match for you now."

"I doubt it-" Yin launched himself forward, his weapon slashing down at Cassian's head. "-but let's find out shall we!"

Cassian, upon blocking with Damocles, felt the ground beneath his feet crack and break from Yin's ridiculous strength. Had he not had aura, Cassian's arms and legs would have been broken and his body slashed in half.

"Damn." Cassian gritted his teeth as he felt the shock run through his arm. "Your strength is as insane as ever."

"Thank you Colonel." Yin responded by lashing out with a kick, intending to break Cassian's nose. Had the blow landed, it probably would have punched through Cassian's face. Instead, Yin felt excruciating pain run through his leg. Cassian had, in a split second, managed to strike nerve endings all throughout Yin's appentage. "Bloody-"

Before Yin could finish his curse, Cassian had grabbed his leg. With a fluid movement, Cassian hurled Yin like a discus, sending him flying to the other end of the arena. Yin bounced a few times, before managing to upright himself and land in a crouch about fifty meters from Cassian. Pain laced up his leg, courtesy of Cassian's attack.

"Not bad-" Yin ducked down, barely dodging Cassian's slash. The Colonel had, in the span of a second, crossed the fifty meter distance separating the two of them. Cassian, having missed with his first attack, rode the momentum to unleash a much faster second slast at Yin's legs. This one was barely dodged, Yin wincing as he felt the blade brush past his kneecaps. In the corner of his eye, Yin could see his aura drop by a tiny margin.

Cassian continued his relentless assault, stringing his slashes together and increasing his speed with each move. Yin found himself watching as his aura was slowly chipped away, Cassian's attacks all the while getting faster and more accurate.

"Tch." Yin clicked his tongue, parrying one of Cassian's attacks only to take another one in the stomach. Another drop in aura, leaving Yin with about 85%. "This is getting nasty isn't it?"

"Perhaps." Cassian lunged forward with a stab, grazing Yin's shoulder and bringing his total aura down to 80%. "But I need to get nasty before you do."

"Hmm, well unfortunately for you-" Yin cracked his neck. Suddenly, his aura spiked up. Black tribal markings appeared on Yin's skin and his eyes began to glow red. "I've gotten a bit better at invocating my semblance." Yin's voice had turned deep and guttural, with a feral edge.

"Ohhhh crap." Cassian cursed, preparing for the wild beast known as Yin Chi-tu. "I'm screwed."

* * *

"Schokolade!" Cacao shouted in joy. "Look, we've finally found an upward sloping pathway!"

"..." Schokolade didn't answer, too busy trying to understand the information that his strings were sending him. The two Vanagandr members had wandered perhaps twenty odd kilometers in the past couple of hours. Schokolade had, in turn, unravelled the equivalent amount of string to record where they'd travelled.

"What's up?" Cacao asked, noting his partner's unease.

"..." Behind his mask, Schokolade had scrunched up his eyebrows. About five kilometers behind them, at their last crossroad, he could feel the familiar vibrations of troop movement. "..."

"White Fang?" Cacao guessed.

Schokolade nodded.

"Let me guess, they took another pathway and they're moving en masse?"

Another nod.

Cacao thought for a moment. While being underground meant that distance above ground was a bit harder to measure, Cacao's instincts told him that approximately seven kilometers away from where they currently stood was the tournament area. "They're aiming for the Festival."

Schokolade and Cacao shared a look, before breaking out into a sprint back towards the White Fang camp.

The two of them could cover the five kilometer distance in ten minutes.

Hopefully it would be fast enough to stop a tragedy.

* * *

Reim Schnee looked at the message on his scroll. The content of the message was plain and simple.

 _Dear Father,_

 _Cassian and I are engaged._

 _Winter_

"..." Reim read the message a dozen times, before crushing the scroll with his hand. Standing up, he approached the massive oak doors that represented the divide between his study and the rest of the world.

With a single movement, the doors exploded outwards. Reim Schnee walked out, his spear Echekalt clutched in his hand.

He had only one destination in mind.

The city of Vale.

* * *

Adam Taurus stood at the head of his army. While the attack by the two Vanagandr members had killed a large number of his men, the White Fang was still had access to disposable pawns.

"Sir." The White Fang Lieutenant rumbled. He had nearly fully healed from his injuries, and was capable of combat. "We'll arrive soon."

"Perfect." Adam clenched the sheath of his weapon tightly. He had been made a fool of by those Pale Horse members. "Remember our targets."

"Understood." The Lieutenant disappeared, no doubt to finish the last few checks of White Fang weaponry.

Adam stared at his hand, imagining what they'd be liked coated in the blood of his enemies.

Specifically, those of the Schnee family.

* * *

 **Glad you all enjoyed the proposal. I considered doing something extravagant then realised it wouldn't be Cassian's style to do that...so that's how we ended up with this.**

 **We're approaching the climax! Winter is really, really happy while Cassian is...well Cassian. Weiss gets a harsh lesson in reality (I really don't ship her with Neptune tbh).**

 **Review and fave if you like! It really means a lot.**

 **Ferris**


	17. Fight

Winter sat alone in the preparation room. Even after Cassian's battle had started, she had not left the room to watch from her private box. Winter instead replayed her last conversation with her lover over and over again in her head.

"Hey." A voice suddenly called from the door. Winter blinked, having been snapped out of her daze. It was a familiar voice after all. "Winter Schnee."

"Who are yo-" Winter trailed off, recognising the small girl standing at the doorway. "You."

"Me." Silvers Iscariot, leader of Team SHYD and Cassian's ex-girlfriend, inclined her head at the Schnee. "I suppose this is the first time we've met as fellow lovers of Cassian Gray."

"Except one of us is an ex-lover and the other is his wife." Silvers' nostrils flared at Winter's words, which made Winter feel a bit happy. "What do you want?"

"To talk." Silvers didn't move from her spot, instead choosing to cross her arms. "Woman to woman."

"I should cut you down where you stand." Winter caused the room temperature to noticeably plummet. "You kissed my husband."

"You really want to go?" Silvers reached for her baton. "Because I'm up for a cat fight if that's what you want."

The two women glared at each other, each one waiting for the other to attack. Suddenly, Silvers sighed and released her baton.

"This isn't why I came here." Silvers uncrossed her arms and lowered her head. She looked...dejected. "I came here to talk, as well as give you a warning."

"Give me a warning?" Winter felt her hand move towards her whip. "Should it not be me doing that to you?"

"Look, I admit defeat alright?" Silvers noticeably winced as she said those words, as if they caused her physical pain to speak. "Cassian Gray will never love me like he loves you, no matter what I do."

"..." With a start, Winter realised that Silvers wasn't so different from herself. She too was hopelessly in love with Cassian. The only difference between the two of them was that Cassian had chosen Winter over her. Winter wondered if their roles had been reversed, would she have done the same thing as Silvers.

The scary thing was, Winter had a feeling she would have.

"I just wanted to say one thing to you." Silvers pointed her finger at Winter, tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. "I don't care if you're Winter bloody Schnee. I don't care if I have to fight my way through the entire Pale Horse organisation to get to you. I don't care if I die afterwards. If you break Cassian's heart, I'll kill you with my own two hands.

"...If I ever hurt Cassian." Winter stood up and walked towards Silvers, stopping when Silvers' head was mere inches from her breasts. "I would want you to kill me."

"..humph." Silvers wiped her eyes and spun on her heels. "At least I know you love him. Not as much as me, but enough." With that said, Silvers walked off, leaving Winter alone once more.

It was then that she felt the explosion rock the stadium.

* * *

"Aw Oum." Cassian watched as Yin's body was enveloped in his aura. "Not this again!"

"Scared Colonel?" Yin grinned, his eyes flashing in amusement.

"Absolutely terrified." Cassian responded, smiling back. "The return of the Blood Knight is finally at hand."

"That's an old nickname." Yin dashed forward, his speed enhanced by his semblance. The two Hunters locked weapons again, only for Cassian to be sent flying backwards from Yin's increased strength.

"It's fitting though." Cassian said through gritted teeth, rolling along the ground before flipping backwards and landing on his feet. "Your strength is basically obscene now."

"Maybe." Yin stomped on the ground, cracking it, before seemingly teleporting to the spot directly in front of Cassian. Atlas secret military footwork. "But it's not like you're any weaker."

"Regardless-" Cassian used a similar technique to dodge Yin's kick, reappearing ten meters away from Yin. Unlike Yin, Cassian's movement technique hadn't left a single mark on the ground, a testament to his advanced aura control. "-that strength of yours is beyond fair."

"Well then, why don't you use your semblance then?" Yin made a come on gesture with his fingers. "Even I'd be hard-pressed to win against you if you used that."

"Ha." Cassian let out a short laugh. "No take backs alright?"

Yin felt something in the air shift. At the same time, his primal senses immediately screamed at him to run. As his hair stood on end, Yin thought back to when he had last fought Cassian.

 _"Tie?" Cassian asked through gritted teeth. His semblance had activated, cloaking him in a pure white aura. Damocles was currently cutting its way through Yin's halberd, courtesy of Cassian's semblance._

 _"Tie." Yin replied, feeling his arms slowly beginning to break. The two had locked weapons several times before, but this was the first time Yin was losing. Cassian's semblance was absolutely broken in Yin's opinion. And his was already pretty ridiculous as it was._

"Oh heck yes-" Whatever Yin was about to say was interrupted when an explosion erupted from the battlefield ground.

* * *

"Attack!" Adam Taurus roared, jumping out of the hole. Behind him, White Fang members streamed out in the dozens, firing recklessly into the stands. Several Paladins, stolen from the Atlas Military and redesigned with White Fang logos, followed suit, unleashing barrages of missiles in random directions. "Kill them all!"

In an instant, fifteen White Fang members were engulfed in flame. Another four were cut down with a few clean strikes.

"What-" Both Yin and Cassian launched themselves at the terrorists, their weapons posed to attack. "-THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

"Ha!" The White Fang Lieutenant swung his chainsaw, meeting Yin mid-blow. At the same time, Adam unleashed his katana, fending off Cassian with a few quick slashes. "Hello again!"

"Taurus!" Cassian flipped in the air and landed on his feet. Yin did the same, absorbing the blow and landing a few meters away from the hole. "What in Oum are you doing!?"

"What do you think Gray?" Adam unleashed another flurry of blows. Cassian side stepped the brunt of them, while deflecting the few he couldn't. "I'm bringing the war to you!"

"Are you insane!" Behind him, Yin was beating the White Fang Lieutenant back, each blow from his halberd forcing the giant to retreat. "You've just condemned all your men to death!"

"They'll gladly die for the cause!" Adam roared back. Even as he said that, the White Fang members and war machines were slowly being beaten back by the sheer number of Hunters and Huntresses in the stadium. "That's what it means to fight for liberation!"

"Liberation!?" Cassian lunged forward, grabbing Adam by the shirt and throwing him into the air. "This isn't liberation! This is just terror!"

"Exactly!" Adam twisted in the air and fired at Cassian. The bullet struck him in the chest, sending him stumbling back. His aura however, prevented it from piercing his skin. "Why not let the humans have a taste of their own medicine!"

"An eye for an eye makes the world's blind." Cassian drew a pistol from his belt and opened fired. The bullets bounced harmlessly off Adam's aura, but managed to wind him. "If you do this, you'll just continue the cycle of hatred."

"Then so be it!" Adam continued to fire at Cassian, who was running in a zig-zag formation to dodge the projectiles. "I'll let the whole world drown in malice!"

"As if I'd let you do that." Cassian swung his sword in an arc, cutting down Adam's bullets mid-flight. "This world has enough hate as it stands."

"Then try and stop me!" Adam laughed manically.

"With pleasure." Cassian replied, preparing for another exchange.

* * *

"What the heck!" Yang yelled, punching the lights out of another White Fang member. Around her, her fellow students were also engaged in battles of their own. "Where did they come from!?"

"The hole in the ground!" Blake yelled, unleashing a storm of bullets at a group of Faunus. The White Fang members went down, their aura having been severely depleted by the barrage. "We need to close the hole!"

"Busy at the moment!" Weiss shouted. The White Fang members had converged on the heiress, having recognised her as one of their most hated enemies. She was fending off an entire horde of enemies, along with two Paladins who kept unleashing missiles at her. "And I'm running out of dust-"

The sound of a gatling gun told Weiss that help had arrived. Coco's weapon immediately destroyed one of the Paladins. At the same time, Yatsuhashi lept into the air, his sword cleaving the second Paladin cleanly in half.

"Let me help!" Velvet shouted, jumping into the fray. With a few well placed kicks, Velvet sent half of Weiss' enemies flying, allowing Weiss to focus less on defense and more on finishing the battle. "You guys are disgrace to Faunus everywhere!"

The White Fang members just groaned in response, the combined attacks of the Hunters and Huntresses' in training having taken them out of the conflict.

They'd wake up with horrible headaches the next day however.

"Nice work!" Weiss gave the rabbit Faunus a high-five, which was returned in kind.

"Watch out!" Velvet suddenly yelled, tackling Weiss to the ground. In the next instant, a hail of gunfire strafed the battlefield, courtesy of the White Fang gunships. Had Weiss remained standing, she would have been cut down. As it stood, the bullets still struck her position.

Except of course, Velvet took them for the Schnee heiress.

"Velvet!" Weiss yelled, as the Rabbit faunus' body shuddered.

"I-I'm good." Velvet grimaced. "I-have a lot of aura, so I didn't get hit."

Weiss wasn't listening however, instead patting Velvet's back to check for wounds.

"Owowowowow bruises!" Velvet yelped, causing the Schnee heiress to immediately stop her prodding. "I'm alright Weiss-"

"Thank you." Weiss said. "But..why?"

"Why what-" The sound of the gunship returning snapped the two girls back into attention. Weiss gently slid Velvet off her, before standing up and preparing to repel the assault.

As it happened, it was completely unnecessary, as a massive laser promptly cut the ships to tiny pieces.

"Penny!" Ruby yelled, waving in the direction of the beam's origin. "I owe you one!"

"No problem friend!" Penny's voice yelled back.

Weiss turned to look at Velvet in order to hear her answer, only to find the rabbit faunus' team surrounding the girl and checking her for injuries.

"Oh well, I guess I can just ask her later." Weiss mumbled, watching as Coco patted Velvet on the butt, eliciting a scream from the girl.

* * *

"Move!" Winter shouted, pushing her way through the crowds. She was rushing to the arena, having seen the chaos unfold on the monitors located throughout the stadium. The moment Cassian crossed swords with Adam, Winter was already sprinting towards the exit. "Out of my way!"

"Ms. Schnee!" A voice called out. It was Davina of Team SHYD. "Please, follow me to the safe-"

"What is the fastest way to the arena?" Davina blinked, not expecting that question. "Answer me, now!"

"Ms. Schnee, I can't let you run head first into the battlefield-"

"Try and stop me." Winter reached for the hilt of Sturm und Drang. Davina, in turn, reached for the hilts above each of her shoulders. The two women looked at each other, daring the other to make the first move.

"...Is this about Cassian?" Davina suddenly asked. Winter, after a pause, nodded. With a sigh, Davina lowered her arms. "...alright, follow me then."

The two women begun to move towards the arena at a brisk pace, each one mentally preparing themselves for whatever awaited them outside.

* * *

Silvers drew symbols in the air with her baton. Each movement corresponded to a specific formation, which her drones immediately formed.

Her weapon Ardent Phalanx was by far the most technical of Hunter weapons. Consisting of thirty drones in a cone shape, controlled by predetermined batons movements programmed directly into the drone's CPUs, the weapon required four dimensional thinking along with numerous simultaneous vector calculations to use.

Luckily, Silvers' semblance was just that, enabling her to utilise her weapon's maximum ability. In her hands, the weapon could generate aura shields, unleash barrages of revolver fire from multiple directions and act as a makeshift platform.

"Ha." Silvers sighed, drawing a complex pattern in the air. The drones split into groups of five, each group unleashing a multi-directional barrage on a single White Fang members. "Too easy."

A crashing noise alerted Silvers to the appearance of a Paladin. Turning around, she found herself face to face with a massive mecha many times her own height.

The Paladin thrust its fist forward, intending to crush Silvers into a pulp. A few wrist movements from Silvers however, created an aura barrier which absorbed the punch.

"Meh." Another wave of her baton forced the Paladin back as a hail of gunfire struck its front. Alone, a single drone didn't have enough firepower to hurt a regular Hunter. The combined barrage of two dozen drones however, could damage even the largest Grimm. "Predictable."

In that moment of relaxation, several White Fang members suddenly lunged at Silvers, intending to cut her down from behind. Before they could reach Silvers however, they were brutally intercepted.

"..." Helaine sweeped the legs out from one of the White Fang members, before using the heel of her hand to knock him unconscious.A few jabs took out another couple of enemies, leaving only one standing. Helaine hadn't drawn her blades, as she had yet to feel threatened enough to start killing.

"Race Trai-" The White Fang member was cut off with a brutal high kick, courtesy of Helaine's bunny heritage.

"..." Helaine looked at the unconscious White Fang for a moment, before scanning her surroundings. Her commander was out of immediate danger, and had just taken out the Paladin with a few more well-placed barrages.

Overall, the White Fang attack had been successfully contained, with only the leaders and a handful of regular troops and battle mechs left.

Helaine let out a breath of relief. Seemed like the attack would be prevented without any particular issue.

* * *

"Grah!" The White Fang Lieutenant swung his chainsword down, only to grimace when Yin effortlessly parried the attack while sending the Faunus' arm swinging upwards.

"Weak-" Yin stab forward with his halberd. The blade missed its target, the Faunus' heart, by inches, instead stabbing him in the stomach. "-so burn."

"Wha-" The Lieutenant's eyes widened as blue flames exploded from the nozzle attached to the tip of the halberd. Upon contact with the Faunus, they immediately enveloped him. "AHHH!"

Yin adjusted his grip on the halberd to ensure that the Lieutenant couldn't escape the fiery pyre he was consigned to. The blue flames were a mix of fire dust and Yin's aura, making them extremely deadly. The attack sears the target's aura off, whilst exposing it to immense heat.

The Lieutenant quickly fell to his knees, dropping his weapon in the process. Somehow managing to escape the Halberd, he immediately begun to roll on the ground in a vain attempt to put the flames out.

Yin watched as the Lieutenant slowly burned to death, his flames allowing the Lieutenant to breath in order to extend the pain. It was precisely because of Yin's manner of weapon that he was so feared. It was a sadistic weapon, designed to maximize suffering instead of granting a swift death.

"P-please!" The Lieutenant yelled. "Kill me!"

"..." Yin watched for a few more seconds, his eyes unfeeling. Suddenly, as if on a whim, he swung his halberd and silenced the Lieutenant forever.

Turning around, Yin found himself face-to-face with numerous Atlesian Paladins. Swinging his halberd into a combat position, Yin flashed them a smile.

* * *

Cassian winced as a cut appeared on his cheek. He had felt himself tiring as the fight went on, and Adam had taken full advantage of this. His slash had been so swift that it had managed to slip past Cassian's aura guard.

"You're slowing down Colonel." Adam fired a few bullets, which Cassian guarded against. "The last time we crossed blades you slashed my mask in half."

"Well I am a little rusty." Cassian grinned, even as sweat ran down his neck. It was taking all he had not to breath hard. "So maybe you want to surrender?"

"I should be saying that to you." Another cut appeared on Cassian's body, this time on his arm. While the cut hadn't reached his skin, having been blocked by the armor, it was unnerving nevertheless. "Has civilian life dulled your skills?"

"..." Cassian didn't answer, instead focusing on trying to get through Adam's guard. Sadly enough, it didn't seem to be working, with Cassian receiving a few more gashes for his troubles. "..damn I'm weak."

"Yes you are!" Adam lunged, his blade unleashing a flurry of slashes. Damocles managed to ward against most of them, but a few still managed to tear holes in Cassian's clothing. "This is not what I expected from you."

The two continued to trade blows, with Cassian consistently getting cut over and over again. Adam continued to maintain distance between the two of them, aware of Cassian's speciality in CQC.

This trade off continued for a while, with Cassian getting more and more bloody as Adam tore more gashes in his body. Eventually, Cassian noted his vision starting to blur.

"Crap-" In that moment of weakness, Adam lunged forward, his blade poised to slash Cassian's jugular. In an instant, Cassian knew that there was no way for him to block in time-

Adam was suddenly thrown to the right as something crashed into his ribs. Hard.

"Tsk, tsk." A very familiar voice said behind Cassian. "What kind of bodyguard needs to be bailed out by the one he's meant to protect? How sad Cassian."

"Heh." Cassian smiled, even as the figure of his mistress and lover walked past him, her hips swaying. "Sorry about that Mistress."

"Make sure it doesn't happen again." Winter Schnee replied, Sturm Und Drang coiling around her wrist. On her right, Adam was slowly forcing himself to his feet, the surprise attack having scored critical damage on him. "Otherwise I may have to demote you just to keep you safe."

* * *

 **We're reaching the climax of the story! Let's see what happens next shall we?**

 **Ferris**


	18. Loss

Lana Caramel watched as the battle unfolded in front of her. Next to her, her cameraman continued to record the events.

"Don't miss even a second." The reporter muttered. "This footage is worth its weight in gold."

* * *

"GIve me a second." Cassian drew a syringe from a pouch and stabbed it into his leg, letting out a hiss of pain. "...much better."

"Stim shot?" Winter asked, her eyes not leaving Adam.

"Yeah my aura's gone to poop." Cassian forced himself to his feet, feeling the familiar buzz as the simulants ran through his body, numbing the pain and refilling his aura. "Though the crash is going to suck."

"As it always does with those things." Winter waved her hand, sending a rain of icicles at Adam. "You should just let your aura naturally regenerate."

Adam slashed the icicles to pieces, only to be quickly overwhelmed and take several in the chest. Only his aura prevented him from being skewered.

"For some reason it's gotten slower." Cassian cracked his ligaments, before taking his regular combat stance. "My semblance is pretty much moot as well."

"Wait a few minutes for the stim to set in. Then use your semblance to assist the others. " Winter flicked her wrist, her whip guarding against the bullets that Adam shot. "I can take him myself."

"Sorry for showing you this." Cassian muttered, even as a bolt of pain struck his heart. The stim shot was working, but the toil on his organs would be great. "This weak side of me."

"Don't worry about it." Winter cracked her whip against the ground, summoning lightning dust. "I always wanted to one day protect you as well."

Cassian chuckled, only to wince as several Paladins immediately surrounded the two of them.

"Open fire!" Adam roared. The Paladins immediately unleashed a barrage of missiles. Winter's whip shimmered, lightning arcing around and destroying a large number of missiles.

The few she didn't destroy were immediately cut down by Cassian.

"How long has it been-" Cassian spun his blade around, before resting it lightly on his shoulder. Through sheer willpower, he forced his battered and pain-ridden body to move. While every movement hurt, his energy and aura had returned to more manageable levels. "-since the two of us fought side-by-side?"

"Far too long." Sturm und Drang coiled around the two lovers, a snake prepared to strike in an instant. Winter flashed Cassian a smile, which he returned, albeit painfully. "It feels right though."

"Oh, it definitely does." Cassian pointed his blade's tip downwards, both hands wrapped around the hilt. White light immediately shrouded his body, wrapping around him like a cloak of flames. "Buy me a few seconds?"

"Done." Winter's whip flashed, sending several Paladins cascading backwards as the fire-dust released several explosions on impact.

Cassian on the other hand, was concentrating on his aura. The familiar sensation of his semblance wrapped around him, granting him strength. His wounds were healing at an accelerated rate. A Paladin unleashed a hail of gunfire at him, but the aura absorbed the bullets, leaving Cassian unharmed.

Winter, looking at her lover, couldn't help but smile. "It's been so long since I last saw you use that."

"Hmm." Cassian hummed in response, adjusting his grip so his sword now faced directly upwards. "I'd almost forgotten what it felt like."

"What are you doing!" Adam shouted at the remaining four Paladins. "He's just standing still, you can-"

Cassian's arm blurred. Adam, sensing the attack, immediately dropped to his knees.

The Paladins however, were perfectly bisected in half, their pilots left completely unharmed.

"Ha." Winter let out a soft laugh, Cassian's attack having effectively ended the battle. "As expected from my Knight."

"Hmmm…" Cassian hummed. "Hmmmm~"

Suddenly, Cassian coughed, his white vistage immediately disappearing as blood left his mouth. Winter watched has he collapsed to his knees, his wounds suddenly reopening and bleeding with even more ferocity than before.

* * *

Yin felt the familiar sensation of Cassian's semblance suddenly cut off, like a puppet without its strings.

"Huh?" Yin turned around, distracted. Immediately, one of the Paladins threw a sucker punch at the back of his head.

Flames exploded from Yin's weapon, immediately burning the Paladin to crisp. Metal, flesh, nothing could stand against Yin's aura-infused flames. The other Paladins, seeing this display, immediately attacked at the same time.

Each one met a similar fate, Yin's flames turning their droids into pyres.

The enemy having been reduced to cinders, Yin turned his attention to Cassian. He could still sense his aura, albeit it was very faint.

"That idiot doped didn't he." Yin cursed. The Cassian Gray he remembered had been powerful enough to fight against Team SHYD without doping. Yin thought back to their clash. While Cassian's physical strength had been fine, his aura had been severely lacking. Yin doubted he could enhance himself for longer than a few minutes with that level of aura.

Considering that those of Colonel and higher were meant to be consistently enhancing their body with aura without pause, the fact that Cassian couldn't even do this indicated just how far he had fallen.

"What happened to you Colonel?" Yin muttered, watching as Cassian forced himself to his feet while wiping blood from his face. "What made you this weak?"

* * *

Winter had to restrict herself from running over to Cassian. She knew that Adam wouldn't hesitate to go for the kill if she let her guard down.

"I-I'm fine mistress." Cassian wiped some blood from his mouth. "Just-a backlash."

"And this is why you don't use drugs." Cassian let out a painful groan at Winter's sad attempt at humor. "What? At least I'm trying."

"Whatever you say." Cassian coughed, sending flecks of blood across the ground. "Now, not to sound rude, but shouldn't you be, well, beating that guy?"

"No need for that." Suddenly, three figures dropped in front of Winter, forming a barrier against Adam. "Ms. Schnee, Colonel, please leave this to us."

"Humph, what took you so long?" Winter looked at the three individuals in front of her. They were young, perhaps seventeen at the most. Yet Winter knew not to write them off due to their age. Cassian and herself were perfect examples of this.

"I apologise Ms. Schnee." One of the three, a boy with light brown hair, apologised. "We were taking out the White Fang members who attempted to reach the fair around the stadium."

"Did you succeed?"

"Yes." Winter nodded her head in approval.

"Very well. Now, attend to the Colonel and leave this man to me."

"Ma'am, I'd-" The boy's companion, a girl with green eyes, tried to protest.

"Attend to the Colonel." Winter repeated, the force behind her words causing the girl to fall silent. "I will take care of the terrorist."

The third girl however, summoned a set of blades. The blades immediately begun to spin, summoning a ball of energy. Winter watched as the girl, in blind disobedience to her orders, fired a massive beam of energy at Adam.

* * *

"No!" Blake yelled in horror as Penny fired a beam of green energy at Adam. She knew what Adam's trump card was. "NOOOO!"

* * *

"Fools." Adam said, smiling. Raising his sheathed sword, Adam absorbed the beam into the blade. Ignoring the shocked looks on his opponent's faces, he prepared his ultimate technique. "You're all dead."

* * *

Cassian could sense something was wrong. Penny's (which he always imagined Penny shouting _PENNY BEAM_ whilst firing it), had not resulted in the massive explosion that he had expected. Instead, an ominous crimson light was emitting from where Adam was standing.

Relying solely on instinct, Cassian rushed forward, dropping Damocles in the process.

* * *

Winter Schnee watched as Adam laughed manically. His Grimm mask glowed with ominous colors and his aura had fluctuated to obscene levels.

"Get back!" Winter yelled, grabbing Penny and throwing her to the side. At the same time, Adam slashed with his sword.

Winter could sense that the attack was far more destructive than anything Adam had used previously. It even dwarfed the technique that Cassian used to destroy the Paladins.

Winter prepared herself for the attack. She couldn't create a barrier in time, nor could she properly enhance herself with aura. All she could do was tank-

An explosion of blood, followed by a hiss of pain. But it wasn't from Winter.

"Damn." Cassian swore. "That actually hurt."

Those were his last words before he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

Lana Caramel's eyes widened in horror as Cassian fell backwards, blood splurting from the newly opened wound on his chest.

As a reporter, she had seen many things, but this was the first time she had seen someone get mortally wounded.

"Shit!" Lana's cameraman swore. "Is he really dead?"

"Keep filming." Lana replied, her eyes not leaving the stadium.

Something told her that the climax was yet to come.

As it turned out, she was right.

* * *

Adam Taurus didn't even have a moment to gloat before a halberd smashed into his chest. The blade tore a deep rut in his body, before the heat cauterised the wound immediately after. The pain however, was tremendous.

"TAURUS!" Yin roared, grabbing Adam by the head and smashing him into the ground.

"Ugh." Adam groaned, seeing stars. Through his years of experience, Adam knew he was dead. There was no way he could defeat Yin. "LONG LIVE THE WHITE-"

"SHUT. UP." Yin thrust his halberd into Adam's back, killing him instantly.

Just like that, the White Fang threat was annihilated with minimal casualties.

* * *

Helaine dropped to her knees next to Cassian. Behind her, Winter was frozen in place, her eyes staring at Cassian's fallen form.

"..." With expert skills, Helaine drew her knives from their sheaths. Pressing a button, she swapped them into jet injectors, before sliding in a cartridge from her bracelets. Taking aim, Helaine fired two shots into Cassian's chest.

Cassian's body immediately shook violently in response to the injections, the drugs causing muscles spasms. Helaine placed her ear against Cassian's chest, before immediately pumping his chest.

Blood pooled around Helaine's hands and ear as she alternated between pumping and checking for a heartbeat. Even as the blood begun to flow out onto the floor, Cassian still had not recovered.

Out of desperation, Helaine loaded another two shots into her injectors, before firing them once more into Cassian's body. This time, his body didn't react, simply shaking as it took the two shots.

It was at this point that Winter snapped out of her daze.

* * *

Winter lunged forward, only to smack head first into a barrier. It would have been funny, had it not been for her face of utter despair.

"CASSIAN!" Winter smashed her hand into the barrier, which didn't budge an inch. "CASSIAN!"

"Ms. Schnee!" A pair of hands grabbed Winter from behind, before throwing her to the ground. "Calm down!"

"Get out of my way!" Winter grabbed her assailant and hurled her to the left. Her assailant however, countered the throw, incapacitating Winter and placing her in an arm lock. Immediately, the assailant felt her arm quickly turn cold. With incredibly reflexes, she kicked off Winter, narrowly missing having her arm turned to ice.

"Ms. Schnee, don't interfere with the procedure." Silvers rolled on the ground, using her aura to thaw her arm out. "Let Helaine treat-"

"Die." Winter's eyes were glazed over, but the intent in her voice was very clear. Icicles appeared around her as she pointed her hand at Silvers. "ALL OF YOU JUST-"

"Stop." A soft voice said. Immediately, Winter's attention focused on the speaker. "Winter, please."

"C-cassian?" Winter stuttered, all the fight leaving her body. Sure enough, behind Silvers' aura barrier, sat Cassian. He was breathing heavily and leaning on Helaine for support.

"Hello there." Cassian grinned, before groaning in pain. White bandages were wrapped around his wounds, but they were quickly being dyed red. "I'm glad that you're alright."

"Cassian!" Winter ran at her lover, only to smack into the same force field. "Silvers, remove this thing immediately!"

"I would rather not, seeing as a hug from you might kill Cass." As if in response to her statement, Cassian coughed, covering his mouth with his hand. When he removed it, it was soaked in blood. "Shit, I didn't actually mean that!"

"He."Cassian smiled, revealing bloodied teeth. "I won't lie, I may not make it out of this one."

"Don't talk like that!" Winter shouted, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "I forbade you from dying remember?! Are you going to ignore my orders?!"

"Haha." Cassian chuckled, only to choke and spit out a glob of blood. "I told you that there are some orders I can't obey, didn't I?"

"Y-you can't!" Winter sobbed. "You can't do this to me-not right after we-" Winter's speech was stumbling, her mouth unable to vocalise her thoughts. She sounded nothing like the powerful Schnee that she was known as. Eventually however, she managed to say one thing. "Yo-you promised that we'd always be together!"

"I did, didn't I? What a precious memory." Cassian murmured, his body occasionally spasming. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. "I only regret I didn't do it sooner."

"Don't give me this crap!" Winter smashed her hand against the barrier. "I won't forgive you if you do this to me!"

"I'm...sorry." Cassian sighed, his pupils dilating and undulating. His voice was growing fainter. "I-"

"CASSIAN, DON'T YOU DARE-!" Winter was hysterical, pounding relentlessly at the barrier that separated the two of them. "We were going to get married, live together, start a family! Please, don't leave me alone-"

"-couldn't keep my promise." Cassian muttered, his head slumping down. Helaine immediately begun to pump his chest again, but to no avail.

At this point, Winter Schnee truly broke.

* * *

"Stop the camera!" Lana hissed, turning to her cameraman. Upon seeing the raw emotions in front of her, Lana realised that her integrity wouldn't allow her to publicise their relationship. Not after such a loss. "We can't show this-"

"It's too late." The cameraman muttered. "This was a livestream."

Lana felt her blood run cold. Checking her phone, she felt her heart plummet.

On screen was an estimate of the number of viewers watching the livestream.

If the numbers were to be trusted, then approximately 87% of Remnant's population had just seen Winter Schnee's reaction to Cassian Gray's death.

Their relationship was now anything but a secret.

* * *

 **Ahahaha...ha...ha...**

 **Please don't kill me.**

 **Ferris**

 **PS On another note, we made it past 100 followers! Yay!**


	19. Fragments: Assignment

**It's little moments like these that makes love so special~**

* * *

 **Fragment #4**

 **Assignment**

Winter Schnee liked to think that she trusted Cassian implicitly. They'd been together for years, and had been dating for perhaps two months now. In that time, they'd fought together, laughed together, had fun times together and then had really _fun_ times together. If Winter couldn't trust Cassian after all that, after everything they'd been through, then she had some serious trust issues.

(Actually, she probably did. Being a Schnee and trust issues tended to go hand-in-hand.)

But Cassian's most recent assignment, given to him by her father, had her very much on edge. His orders were to get near with a certain heiress of another company, in order to persuade her to co-operate with the Schnee Dust Company.

Normally, Winter wouldn't care about this, since she was comfortable in the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous and that most women couldn't hold a candle to her in the beauty department.

Unfortunately, the same could be said of Layla Chiffon, the heiress to the Chiffon Energy Corporation. A fiery redhead, she was Winter's opposite in every possible way. Her social life was plastered all over the news, including her obvious attraction to a certain Cassian Gray.

In the past two weeks, Cassian had gone on six dates with Layla, all of which had been documented by the paparazzi. Winter had gone over each and every image, noting with rage the incredibly revealing outfits Layla wore, as well as the blatant flirting she had done with Cassian in public.

It had taken all her self-control not to go to Chiffon's headquarters and punch the heiress for touching her boyfriend.

"I'm off Winter." Cassian said, standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a very nice dinner jacket, Damocles' hilt sticking out from his shoulder as per usual. "I'll be back pretty late tonight or in the morning."

"Alright…" Winter said, biting her lip. Cassian, noticing her discomfort, immediately stopped opening the door.

"What's wrong?" Cassian asked, closing the door behind him.

"Nothing." Winter replied.

"Winter, please don't lie to me." Cassian stepped away from the door, a worried look on his face. "I've done something haven't I?"

"It's fine." Winter tried to brush the subject away, but Cassian wasn't buying it. "Just go do your mission."

"...Is this about Layla?"

"You call her Layla?" Winter tried her best to hold the emotions in her, but was failing miserably. "How long have you known her? Two weeks?"

"Winter, please-"

"Please what? My boyfriend is going out with a woman who is obviously trying to seduce him!" Winter knew she was being unreasonable, seeing as he had been assigned this job by his superior. But she couldn't stop the angry emotions in her from bubbling up. She expected Cassian to either cut her argument down flawlessly, or just leave without saying a word.

To her surprise, Cassian's response was to wrap her in a hug, effectively cutting off her speech.

"I'm sorry." Cassian whispered into Winter's ear. "I should have thought about that."

Reaching down, Cassian pulled his shoes off, before stripping his jacket off and loosening his tie.

"What are you doing? You have a-"

"Screw the mission." Cassian replied, pulling his shirt free from his pants and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his dress shirt. "If it causes you so much pain, why would I continue to do it? "

In a single move, Cassian lifted Winter into a princess carry, eliciting a squeal from the girl.

"Now then mi'lady-" Cassian gave Winter a wink. "-what shall we do tonight? Movie? Meal? Bath?"

"Cassian, father is going to be-"

"I'll deal with Mr. Schnee later." Cassian leaned over and gave Winter a peck, causing her to blush. "Now then, which of the three do you want to do princess?"

"Well if you insist-" Winter tapped Cassian on the nose, causing him to smile. "-then why don't we do all three my knight? After all, we have all the time in the world."

* * *

 **Stay tuned for the conclusion of Schnee Love, which you may or may not expect! And no, it won't end in the next chapter. Probably in the next three chapters or so, maybe more.**

 **Ferris**


	20. Eulogy

"Winter, it's me." Weiss mumbled, knocking on the bedroom door. No answer. "Winter, please answer me. You've been in there for two months."

Still no answer. With a sigh, Weiss tried the doorknob again. Locked.

"Winter, I'm going to break this door down if you don't open it within the next three seconds."

Counting to four, Weiss placed her palm against the lock and pressed downwards. The lock immediately broke, allowing Weiss to push the door open.

Stepping into the room, Weiss was immediately assaulted by an intense chill. Looking around, she realised that the entire room was coated in a thin layer of frost. Looking at the ground, Weiss noted the half-eaten plates of food, also covered in frost. At least Winter was eating.

At the far end of the room lay a large king sized bed. Upon that bed sat Winter, curled up in a ball and wrapped in blankets. Around her, actual ice crystals had formed, giving the entire thing a holy appearance.

"Winter." Weiss repeated, much louder this time. Her sister however, didn't react. It took Weiss a moment to realise she was staring at something in her palm.

A silver ring.

"Winter…" Weiss walked over to her sister, before taking a seat next to the older Schnee. Winter's only response to Weiss' presence was to shift a tiny bit, giving her sister more room. Weiss wrapped her arms around her sister, noting her incredibly low body temperature.

"..." Winter pressed herself into her little sister, like a moth to flame. "..."

"It's ok." Weiss pulled her sister closer, ignoring the frost that was building on her skin. "I'm right here."

"..." Winter didn't answer with words, choosing to huddle even closer. She was hungry for physical contact, for warmth. Weiss obliged, allowing her elder sister to hug her until it hurt. "..."

"Do you remember when we first met him?" Weiss wondered if she was doing the right thing, talking about Cassian. "We were so young back then."

"..." Winter didn't say a word, but Weiss could tell she was listening. Deciding to take that as a _go ahead_ , Weiss continued to talk.

"He was awkward. Then again, so was I, hiding behind you throughout the duration of our meeting." Weiss chuckled at the memory, while Winter didn't make a single sound. "You weren't however. I remember how confident you were when you spoke to him, how effortlessly you took the role of leader-"

"I wasn't." Winter's voice was throaty, worn down by the crying that she had no doubt been doing. "I was terrified when I walked into that room. Cas-" Winter noticeably choked when she tried to say his name, but managed to continue nevertheless. "-he was the first boy I'd met who was my age. I didn't know how to act, so I decided to be confident."

"Be confident? Winter you're one of the most confident people I know!"

"No, I'm not. I'm a weak person Weiss. All my confidence, all my posing, it was all an act to fool the masses."

"Don't sa-"

"But I'm happy I was born weak Weiss." A bit of strength appeared in Winter's voice. At the same time, Weiss felt Winter's body temperature rise ever so slightly. "Because I got to meet Cassian. Had I been strong, I would have refused a bodyguard. Instead, Cassian made me strong. He made me forget the lies and facades that I had lived with my whole life. It was because of him Weiss, that I managed to break free from the false world that I inhabited."

Weiss didn't know whether she wanted to hear her sister, her beautiful and perfect elder sister, talk like this. Winter however continued to speak her mind, continued to reveal her darkest secrets and truths.

"Cassian taught the weak me that weakness wasn't a bad thing. _All people are born weak-_ , he used to say, _-but that's we must form bonds, since that's how we grow strong._ " Winter smiled a sad smile as she recounted his words. "I think it was then that I realised I was in love with him. Because no matter what lies I said, what sins I did, he would stand beside me. He saw me for who I was, not who I was meant to become. The strong Winter Schnee that ran Pale Horse, the weak Winter Schnee who just wanted to be cuddled, Cassian accepted it all without complaint."

Weiss knew the weight associated with the Schnee name. She bared it with pride after all. But her sister was different. Winter didn't want to bear the Schnee name. Winter just wanted to be herself, to be free of all the burdens. And that was what Cassian did. He was a person that would let her be...well her. And for Winter, that was all she ever wanted.

"You know, I considered ending it all." Weiss, hearing those words, immediately focused her attention on Winter. Her sister, noticing the alarm on Weiss' face, let out a baleful laugh. "Don't worry, I'm not going to. Because I know that Cassian wouldn't want that. He'd want me to live my life."

"Yes, yes he would." Weiss felt her sister shift against her. At the same time, Winter's breathing slowed. No doubt this conversation had drained her. It had been the first time she'd spoken in months after all.

"Weiss…" Winter mumbled, her voice growing tired. "Before I go to sleep, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you think...he was happy in the end?"

"Yes." Weiss replied unhesitatingly.

"Why?"

"Because he achieved what he wanted." Weiss said, wondering where the words were coming from. "He died knowing that the one he loved loved him back, and was safe from harm. For Cassian, I believe that's all he ever wanted. Your love and safety."

"He...was always like that. Kind...to a fault." Winter whispered, her eyes beginning to close. "But...that's why I love him."

Weiss waited for Winter to fall asleep, before adding one last comment.

"That's why we all love him big sister." Weiss mumbled, gently laying her sister on the bed. "Sleep well now, and dream of your love."

* * *

"P-please." The White Fang member gasped. He was bleeding from numerous bullet wounds, his face contorted in pain. "M-mercy-"

"No." Silvers said, waving her baton. Her drones opened fire, executing the man on the spot. "White Fang trash."

"Commander, that was a bit unnecessary." Yin said, returning his halberd to its sheath. "The fifteenth agreement of the Halifax Convention states that killing combatants who have surrendered-"

"They're terrorists, not combatants." Silvers replied. "Now shut up Yin."

"...as you wish." Yin sighed. "But I'm sure the Colonel-"

With reflexes honed through years of training, Yin dodged the numerous bullets that were fired at him from multiple directions.

"Don't you dare mention Cass to me Yin." Silvers pointed her baton at her subordinate, her drones prepared to unleash another barrage. "You have no right to mention him to me."

"I have every right to mention the Colonel, Silvers." Yin drew his halberd from its sheath. "He was my commander as well."

"He was my lover Yin!" Silvers yelled. "I _loved_ him! And now he's dead, killed by the White Fang!"

On the sidelines, Davina and Helaine shared a look, before returning their gaze to their fellow teammates.

"People die all the time." Yin stated. "We're soldiers and bodyguards Silvers. The moment we step onto the battlefield, we accept that death can strike us at any moment. The Colonel was no different in that aspect."

"Cassian was different-!"

"How so Silvers?" Yin challenged. "How was the Colonel any different from us? He wasn't a superhero that bullets bounced off. He was a man who swung his sword for his convictions, and died for them as well."

"He was a superhero." Silvers said defiantly. "He was _my_ superhero." Silvers placed her hand on her chest. "Do you know what it's like to be the sister of the most heinous traitor in Atlas' history?"

Yin resisted the urge to wince. He, like every other person in Atlas, was aware of the story of former Lieutenant-General Ferris Iscariot, aka Silvers' brother.

One of the strongest Hunters of his generation, Ferris Iscariot was five years Silvers' senior. A monster who fought his partner and lover Fenris for the title of _Strongest_ , Ferris Iscariot eventually, for reasons unknown, slaughtered all but one of his superiors, before disappearing into the wilderness. It was said that not a single Hunter or Huntress in Atlas had come close to reaching Ferris and Fenris' power.

Rumors said that the reason Fenris left the army immediately after his betrayal was to avoid being ordered to hunt him down, but no one had the guts to ask Fenris about that.

"The number of times people have tried to kill me for my brother's crimes is...well incalculable, seeing as I stopped counting after the first hundred." Silvers let out a self-deprecating laugh. "The Academy was worse though. Even though I had only been a child when he turned rogue, the cadets still treated me like I was an accomplice of his. Everyone but Cass."

Yin knew this story. He had told the exact same story to the young Hunters at Beacon.

" _Hello there." Silvers looked up from her book, expecting another round of bullying. Standing next to her was a tall man with grayish hair and a pair of thick-rimmed glasses. "Good book?"_

" _What do you want?" Silvers glared at the man. He was attractive, she supposed. Judging from his attire, and the mark on his chest, he was a year older than her. "Are you planning to hit me again? Because I promise you, I won't go down without a fight."_

" _Hit you?" The man looked genuinely horrified. "Why would I hit you? Why would anyone hit you?"_

" _Oh don't play dumb with me! I'm an Iscariot! That's all the reason you people need to hurt me!"_

" _An Iscariot?" To Silvers' surprise, the man looked confused. "Is that meant to mean something…?"_

" _Ferris Iscariot? The heinous war criminal? My brother?" Silvers looked at the man in disbelief, yet at the same time a tiny nugget of joy grew in her chest. "Killed a bunch of Atlas commanders?"_

" _Oh, you're talking about the Gram Incident?" Silvers nodded her head. "And the killer was your brother?"_

 _With a start, Silvers realised she had just ostracised herself again. Bracing herself for the abuse that was no doubt to follow, she was surprised when a hand patted her head. Looking up, she saw that the man's face wasn't even the slightest bit angry. Noticing Silvers' stare, the man quickly retracted his hand._

" _Sorry about that!" The man said, blushing slightly. "You reminded me of my friend Velvet. I always used to pat her head when she looked down."_

" _You're not...going to hurt me?" Silvers mumbled, expecting a surprise attack._

" _Why would I hurt you?"_

" _Because I'm the younger sister of Ferris Iscariot-"_

" _So? I'm the younger brother of Canna Habringer." Silvers' eyes widened in the surprise. Canna Habringer was a vocal anti-Schnee, anti-military and pro-Faunus doctor/activist. For her younger brother to go to Atlas Military Academy, which effectively represented all that she hated, was something Silvers couldn't imagine._

" _Weren't you worried?" Silvers asked after a moment._

" _About what?"_

" _About being ostracised or hated? I mean, your sister is-"_

" _My sister and I are two different people." The man replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Why would her beliefs and decisions have anything to do with me? If people want to judge me, it should be because of my actions, not my sister's."_

" _I think that's a very idealistic viewpoint." Silvers said darkly. "From my experience most people aren't like that."_

" _True." The man nodded his head in agreement. "But I don't really care about that. So long as there's one person who will see me for who I am, why would I care about the hundred who don't?"_

"He was a kind man." Yin said.

"He was the best man." Silvers corrected, sliding her baton back in its sheath. "He didn't deserve to die at the hands of the White Fang. He should have died of old age, surrounded by the ones who loved him."

"No one can choose their death commander." Yin returned his halberd to its sheath. "But they can choose what they die for."

"And he chose to die for the woman he loved." Yin was silent, knowing full well the ramifications of what Silvers was saying. "I hope she realises that."

"I'm sure Ms. Schnee is aware." Yin crossed his arms. "She loved him too."

"...yeah." Silvers kicked a rock lying on the ground. "Let's go guys. We have more White Fang to kill."

* * *

Velvet Scarlatina sat in her garden, carefully tending to her plants. It was dusk, and her cliffside garden afforded her a beautiful view of the sunset.

"Hello Mr. Radish~" Velvet murmured, not really into her song. She remembered years ago back home, when Cassian first taught her how talking to plants helped them grow.

" _What are you doing Cass?" Velvet asked. She was wearing a onesie with holes in the hood to let her ears out. In her right hand she clutched the hand of her chibi Ursa doll, which was dragging on the floor behind her._

" _Gardening." Cassian replied, wiping some sweat from his brow. "Canna normally does this, but today she's busy so…"_

" _She forced you to do it?" Velvet asked, tilting her head. At eight years old, Velvet had a burning need to learn as many things as possible._

" _Yup." Cassian pulled another vegetable from the ground, this one a large juicy carrot. Velvet, upon seeing the carrot, felt her ears immediately perk up. Cassian, seeing the gesture, smiled. "Do you want the carrot Velvet?"_

" _U-uh." Velvet fidgeted, her eight year old brain torn between the manners that her parents were teaching her, and her burning need to eat the said carrot. "I-I-"_

" _Ahahaha!" Cassian laughed, handing Velvet the carrot. "Here, take the carrot."_

" _T-thank you!" Velvet said, immediately devouring the carrot. Cassian watched with a bemused look at the tiny rabbit faunus ate the carrot in two bites. "I-It's so goood!"_

" _Really? I'm glad." Cassian pulled a radish from the ground, before wiping it on his shirt and taking a bite. "Hmm...delicious."_

" _How do you make them taste so good?" Velvet asked, wiping carrot fragments from his face. "These taste so much better than the store ones that mama buys!"_

" _Mmm…" Cassian placed his hand on his chin. "Can you keep a secret Velvet?"_

" _A secret!?" Velvet's eyes lit up. She loved secrets. "Yes, yes I can!"_

" _Good." Cassian looked to his left and right, before leaning forward. "To make any vegetable taste delicious, you have to sing to it."_

" _Sing?" Cassian nodded his head in a sage-like manner. "Like Do-re-mi-fa-so?"_

" _Kinda." Cassian thought for a moment. "But I prefer the radish song."_

" _The radish song?"_

 _Taking a deep breath, Cassian suddenly begun to sing._

" _Hello Mr. Radish~ How do you do? I think I will soon eat you~!"_

 _Velvet was silent for a moment, before bursting out in giggles. Cassian really couldn't sing._

" _Hey!" Cassian said in mock anger. "It's a real way to make plants grow up delicious!"_

" _I-I'm sorry!" Velvet managed to stammer between giggles, tears of laughter forming in the corner of her eye. "It's just...so funny!"_

 _When Velvet fell over and begun to roll around in laughter, Cassian too began to laugh. The two children's laughter filled the sky, an ode of joy to days spent doing fun things._

"How do you do? I think I will soon eat you-" Velvet choked, feeling emotions well up in her throat. She had thought she'd moved past the grief, but whenever she was alone in her garden the sadness would return. Cassian Gray had been like an older brother to her, a human who didn't discriminate against Faunus.

And now he was gone.

"Cass." Velvet said as the sun dipped below the horizon. "I miss you."

Behind Velvet, at the edge of the garden, Helaine Cassius watched over her cousin. Her rabbit ears had allowed her to hear everyone of Velvet's words.

After a few moments, Helaine spun around and disappeared into the winding paths of Beacon's gardens.

Sometimes, it was best to be alone.

* * *

Yin Chi-tu sucked on his cigar, enjoying the taste of the smoke, before exhaling. He watched as the smoke disappeared into the night sky. Above him, he could see the broken moon ringed by hundreds of stars.

"How pretty." Yin muttered, before reaching for the decanter on the table in front of him. "The night sky is really beautiful."

"May I join you?" James Ironwood's voice said from behind the boy.

"Of course General." Ironwood took a seat next to Yin, before pulling out a gunmetal case of cigarettes. "Need a light?"

"Thank you." Yin lit up the General's cigarette, noting the green smoke that emitted from the edge. "Ah this hits the spot."

"So General, how may I help you?" Yin poured the General a glass of whisky, which the General accepted with a word of thanks.

"Tell me about Cassian Gray." Upon seeing Yin's raised eyebrow, the General chuckled. "I have to admit, I am curious about the man. He obviously meant a lot to Team SHYD, not to mention Winter Schnee."

"Well they were in a relationship." After the livestream, the entire world knew that Winter Schnee and Cassian Gray had been romantically involved. And not some half-assed _we're in love_ crap. Everyone had heard the angst in her voice, _seen_ the horror on her face as her lover with cut down in front of her eyes.

"So you knew beforehand." Yin nodded. There wasn't any point in denying it at this point. "How long?"

"Perhaps a few days at most." Yin took another drag from his cigar. "They were engaged."

"They were?"

"It was true love." Yin said simply, taking a drink. "Plain and simple."

"I dare say I never imagined you of all people would be telling me about _true love_."

"I'm still human General."

Ironwood chuckled.

"I suppose you are."

The two of them drank in silence, neither one sure of what to say. Eventually, Ironwood held his glass up.

"A toast then. To Cassian!"

"To Cassian." Yin clinked their glasses together, before gulping the alcohol down. The burn was painful, but at the same time nice.

 _"What's your name?" Cassian Gray asked. The two of them were standing in one of Atlas' training rooms._

 _"Yin Chi-tu."_

 _"Nice name."_

 _Cassian grinned, holding his hand out._

 _"My name is Cassian._ _Cassian Gray."_

* * *

Cassian Gray gasped and opened his eyes. Immediately, pain assaulted his senses, nearly sending him right back into a coma. As it happened, it did knock him temporarily unconscious.

When he woke up later, he managed to see what appeared to be sunlight before the pain knocked him unconscious once more.

On the third time, Cassian managed to grit his teeth and bear the pain. While it was most definitely not lessening, at least he could stay conscious.

"H-how long have I been out?" Cassian muttered through gritted teeth. His voice was rough, telling him that it had been a while since he'd last used it. Looking down, Cassian couldn't help but wince.

A massive scar ran down his chest, the stitch marks blatantly obvious. Around the main scar, smaller white lines indicated the numerous other cuts that he had received during the course of the battle. Moving his arm, Cassian could feel the scar stretch, indicating that his body had still not fully recovered from his ordeal.

Cassian wondered if it ever would. Adam's attack had been brutal to say the least. Even Cassian was unsure exactly how he'd managed to avoid being bisected in half. Checking his body, Cassian realised that numerous tubes and electrodes had been attached to his body.

Removing most of them, Cassian looked at the last, and the most painful, tube that was still attached to his body. He knew the mechanism behind removing it, but vaguely remembered that anaesthetic tended to be used during removal due to the discomfort associated with the procedure.

"This is going to hurt." Cassian grabbed the catheter attached to his nether regions, before swearing loudly as he removed it. "OUM DAMN IT!"

Almost immediately, Cassian's door opened, revealing Schokolade.

"Oh, hey." Cassian waved at the Vanagandr sub-commander, tears in his eyes. "How long have I been out?"

"..." Schokolade held up two fingers.

"Two days?"

Shake of the head.

"Two weeks?"

Shake of the head.

"...two months?"

Nod.

"...Does Winter know I'm alive?" Cassian finally asked, once he had accepted that a sixth of a year had passed since his death.

Shake of the head.

"Reim Schnee has something to do with this, doesn't he?"

Schokolade's answer was to hold out Damocles. Cassian swung his legs over to the edge of the bed, before taking a tentative step. His legs, while shaky, managed to hold up. Cassian stumbled over to Schokolade, before taking Damocles from him.

"Where is he?"

"..." Schokolade motioned for Cassian to follow him, before stepping out of the room. Taking a deep breath, Cassian followed after Schokolade, trying his best not to fall over.

Deep inside, Cassian knew that there was a very good chance that he'd come back to life, only to die again.

Gripping Damocles tightly, Cassian prepared for the inevitable battle that he was soon to face.

His last trial before he could truly return to the land of the living.

* * *

 **MUHAHAHAHA HE'S BACK!**

 **I make no promises that he won't die for real this time though, seeing as he's still badly injured and has one last fight.**

 **Ferris**


	21. Life

Cassian tried to draw strength from Damocles. The weapon had been with him through thick and thin, helping him overcome hurdles unlike any other.

"One last fight, right Schokolade?" Cassian said, feeling his legs wobble.

"..." Schokolade pressed a button, calling the elevator. After a few moments, the door opened. The two of them stepped in (well Cassian stumbled in), before Schokolade pressed the button for the rooftop.

"A rooftop fight?" Cassian chuckled. "Reim certainly has a need for theatrics doesn't he?"

"..." Schokolade leaned against the railing of the elevator and crossed his arms.

"You aren't going to talk to me at all?"

"..."

"Schokolade, I know I'm rambling, but let's just blame the drugs alright? I mean, you must have kept me doped up pretty bad if I was out for two months."

"..."

"OK, I admit, I'm a tad bit nervous about this. I mean, I'm pretty sure Reim is planning to kill me."

"..."

"You're not going to say anything to reassure me otherwise?"

Schokolade shook his head.

"So he is planning to kill me."

Schokolade shrugged.

"Thanks for the moral support."

A sudden sense of nausea travelled through Cassian's body, nearly sending him falling to the ground. Before he could, Schokolade caught him by the arm and pulled him up.

"Thanks." Cassian muttered, feeling the bile rise up in his throat. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"...?"

"If I die, don't tell them who did it." Cassian eventually found his footing, gently removing himself from Schokolade. "I don't want Winter to spend her whole life trying to kill her father."

"...Are you sure?" Cassian blinked. He had never heard Schokolade speak before. His voice was deep, but cultured. "From my experience, holding back the truth from your loved ones is never a good thing."

"A-ah right." Cassian was still trying to accept that Schokolade could...well speak. "I'm sorry, it's just-"

"Never knew I could speak?" Schokolade sounded bemused. From his voice, Cassian guessed that Schokolade was a bit older than he was. "I stopped speaking for a number of reasons. But that's unimportant right now."

"Um, sure." Cassian wasn't sure how to react to this sudden epiphany. Just from those few sentences, Cassian felt like Schokolade was the type of person who spoke a lot without actually saying anything. "Though, I'm curious. Why are you helping me?"

"Eh, for a number of reasons." With a ping, the elevator door opened. "But the main reason is because you did something I couldn't do."

A long hallway stretched in front of them, the roof access being at the far end of the corridor.

"Something you couldn't do?" Cassian was genuinely confused. As far as he could remember, he hadn't done anything that would have caused Schokolade to be indebted to him.

"Yup." Schokolade replied, continuing to walk down the corridor. "I am eternally grateful to you for that. And that's why I'm going to give you a little help." Schokolade suddenly poked Cassian in the chest. Immediately, Cassian felt his aura refill and his strength return to his body. "Better?"

"Much." Cassian tested his arm out. He could tell that whatever Schokolade had done, it had returned him to nearly full capacity. "I owe you one."

"No you don't." Schokolade stopped at the entrance to the roof. "Like I said, I'm eternally indebted to you."

"But for what?"

Schokolade's answer was to remove his mask, revealing…

Red eyes and silver hair on a smiling face. Features almost identical to a certain girl who was in charge of Team SHYD. It was a famous face, associated with many many things.

"You made my sister happy." Schokolade, no Ferris Iscariot, said, giving Cassian a smile. "That's something I could never have done. And for that, I'm thankful."

"You're...Schokolade?"

"The one and only." Ferris gave a mock bow, his face wearing the same mischievous smile that Silvers wore. "As you'd imagine, after Gram, I kinda needed to change my identity."

"Is Fenris aware of your...alternative ego?"

"Awww wouldn't you like'ta know?" Ferris laughed. "Maybe if we get another chance, we'll have a nice long chat about me. But for now, shouldn't you be focusing on that?" Ferris jabbed his thumb at the door. "Mr. Schnee is waiting for you behind that door. And I can assure you that he isn't waiting for a chat."

"I'm guessing you won't be helping me fight him, will you?"

" _Love is a battlefield._ " Ferris touched his nose and laughed. "I won't be interfering with this fight anymore then I've already have. I've restored your aura and semblance, what else do you need?"

"The skills of the strongest Hunter of his generation?"

"That's you, not me." Ferris patted Cassian on the back. "Don't worry, the moment you win, I'll fix you up with my strings. If I could bring you back from Adam's attack, I can certainly do it again."

"I have one question."

"Shoot."

"You knew that your sister loved me, yet you helped me propose to Winter. Why?"

" _Happiness is temporary. Memories are eternal._ " Ferris ran his hand through his hair. " If you fell in love with Winter, what right do I have to keep you chained to someone else?"

"But Silvers-"

"Even if it was only for a while, you made my sister truly happy." Ferris interrupted Cassian. "More importantly, you helped her come out of her shell. She was friends now, people other than you that she can rely on. And that's good enough a reason for me to help you with your own love. Plus, you kind of remind me of me, back when I courted Fenris. Which isn't necessarily a good thing."

"If that's the case, thank you." Cassian took one more breath, before pushing the door open. "Wish me luck."

"You won't need it." Ferris said, smiling as he watched Cassian step onto the rooftop. "You're plenty lucky as you are."

As the door swung shut behind Cassian, Ferris placed his mask back onto his face, becoming Schokolade once more.

* * *

"Lord Schnee." Cassian said, stepping onto the roof. "It's been a long time."

"Colonel Gray." Reim Schnee turned to face Cassian. He was standing at the opposite end of the roof, "It's a pity that we couldn't meet under more fortunate circumstances." Cassian noted that his tone indicated that this was a most favorable situation of the Schnee patriarch.

" _My word is my bond._ " Cassian replied, his hand moving to Damocles' hilt. He knew why Reim was here. "I know that the Schnee bloodline keeps their promises."

"Indeed." Reim replied. In his hands was Echtekalt, the Schnee spear. "I intend to kill you myself."

"I hope you're aware I'm going to fight back just as hard." Cassian took a combat stance. Judging from Reim's words, he was guessing that him and Winter's relationship was very much public. "Don't blame me if I kill you."

"I hope you're joking." Reim spun Echtekalt, before leveling the spear so that its tip was pointing at Cassian's chest. "Your stunt last time isn't going to work again."

"Pity." Cassian relaxed his muscles and focused his mind. The only way he was going to win was if he activated his Semblance. "There isn't any possibility that you'll just accept Winter and I's relationship, is there? Because I think that's the best solution for all of us-"

"As if!" Reim lunged forward, his spear a streak of blue light. Cassian rolled to the right, dodging the stab, before re-orienting himself and parrying the second stab with Damocles. "My daughter will not marry you!"

"That's a bit harsh." Cassian tried to strike Reim's hand to disarm him, only to nearly get skewered by Echtekalt for his trouble. "I'm an honest to good Colonel in the Atlas army."

"It's your blood that I have an issue with, Gray." Reim spun the dial built into the spear's hilt. The tip immediately glowed blood red with fire dust. With peerless skill, Reim stabbed forward. "There is no way that someone related to that Oum-forsaken wo-"

"That's my sister you're talking about." Cassian redirected the swing, his aura tanking the resulting explosion. "I suppose it's not just her you have an issue with. You hate her husband as well, correct?"

"Of course!" Reim snarled, his spear tip changing color from red to yellow. "To marry that filthy mongrel! How could I allow myself to be related to such degenerates!"

"Still as racist as ever." Cassian sighed, even as his left arm went numb from the lighting-embedded strike. This was not going well. Activating his semblance would be hard, if not downright impossible, with Reim giving him no time to prepare. Add on the fact that a single strike from Echtekalt would be fatal, and Cassian was in a bit of a pickle. "Your daughters are nothing like you."

"They were like me, but outside influences changed that!" Reim growled, his spear a blur as he launched attack after attack. "Weiss and Winter used to be perfect! Schnee heiresses capable of creating a legacy to last a thousand years!"

"They're more than capable of that." Cassian sidestepped another stab. "Those two would create a legacy of peace and prosperity between Faunus and human that would last an era."

"Peace and prosperity?" Reim snorted. "You of all people should know that peace doesn't lead to excellence! Only when war and conflict reign does the world improve! Peace stagnates, War innovates! It's the law of the world! Survival of the fittest! And the SDC is the fittest of them all!" Reim spun the spear around, creating a barrier that Cassian couldn't penetrate. "You used to understand that Colonel, back when you were a boy."

"I learnt better." Cassian pointed Damocles at Reim, focusing his aura into the blade. "Sir Schnee, give up otherwise I'll be forced to kill you."

"It should be I saying that to you boy." Reim dashed forward, his spear thrusting multiple times. Each thrust had a different element, courtesy of the dust mechanism. Cassian barely parried the attacks, each blow depleting his aura. Lightning, fire, wind, ice. The elemental dust distracted Cassian, forcing him to use multiple techniques to fully guard against each of them. "You can barely stand." Reim suddenly lashed out with his foot, catching Cassian in the stomach and sending him flying backwards. "Why don't you use Damocles' ability?"

Cassian groaned and forced himself to his feet. Damocles felt like a lead weight in his hand. While Schokolade's technique had restored his aura, Reim Schnee was a monstrous combatant. It had taken him and Winter together just to keep him at bay. "Of course you'd know about that."

"I helped design the thing. I know every trick that your sword has."

"Then you should know why I can't use it anymore." Reim was silent, before a cheshire grin slowly grew on his face.

"You...it couldn't be that you can't access your semblance anymore?"

"Ding ding. Give the man a prize." Cassian tried to sound sarcastic, but he was genuinely worried. The attack he had done in the stadium hadn't been from his semblance. Had he used his semblance, Adam would haven't been able to dodge.

Reim placed his hand to his forehead and began to laugh.

"That-that's just hilarious!" Reim shrieked, tears running down from his eyes. "Y-you have the [Constantly Shifting Semblance Blade] prototype Damocles and you can't even use your semblance anymore!"

"You don't have to rub it in." Cassian grunted and raised his sword.

"Oh but I do! For one of the strongest members of the Atlas Army, capable of slaughtering ancient Grimm with a single slash, to be reduced to this? That's hysterical!" Reim looked at Cassian from the corner of his eyes, a malevolent grin on his face. "If you could use that deplorable Semblance of yours, even I'd be hard pressed to kill you! But now? Now it's just like shooting fish in a barrel!"

Cassian closed his eyes and tried to focus. His semblance was reliant solely on Cassian emptying his mind and killing his emotions. The moment he did tried however, memories ran through his mind.

 _Death._

 _Dying._

 _Murder._

 _Slaughter._

 _Carnage._

 _Blood._

 _Blood._

 _BLOOD._

"Tch." Cassian gritted his teeth as pain lanced through his head, causing him to drop Damocles. "Still can't do it."

In that instant, something struck Cassian through the chest. Looking down, Cassian saw the hilt of Etchekalt protruding from his chest.

"How sad Colonel." Reim said simply, his face half a meter from Cassian's. "A moment's distraction, and you're dead."

Cassian tried to say something smart, some sort of taunt or the like. Instead of words, blood flowed from his mouth. With his last iota of strength, Cassian managed to grip Damocles' hilt, before falling forward onto Reim.

"There, there." Reim murmured, allowing the Colonel to fall onto him. The Schnee Patriarch wrapped his arms around Cassian and mockingly patted him on the back. "Just relax and die."

"..." A small sound escaped Cassian's lips, so soft that Reim couldn't hear it. "...mate."

"What's that?" Reim leaned in closer to Cassian's mouth. "Were those your last words?"

"...checkmate." Cassian murmured. Suddenly, Reim felt something stab him in the spine, severing his second vertebrate and killing him instantly. Reim's corpse immediately dropped to the floor, leaving Cassian kneeling on the ground with a spear through his body. "Take that asshole."

Gripped in his right hand was a thin stake, the last weapon hidden in Damocles' hilt. Secretly added on at Cassian's request, the stake was intended as a suicide weapon should Cassian be captured.

Cassian slowly stood up, Echekalt still embedded in his chest. The weapon had blue lines running through its length. Cassian could feel the ice dust slowly spreading through his wound, freezing the skin around his chest.

"Crap." Cassian placed his hand over the wound and concentrated his aura. The cold recessed, albeit only temporarily. Almost immediately, Cassian felt the ice begin to grow with even more fervor, as if feeding off his aura. "What the heck!?"

"Oh, you won." Ferris' voice said from behind Cassian. Suddenly, strings wrapped around Cassian's wound and Echekalt. Cassian could feel Ferris' aura run through him, slowly reducing the cold. "Huh, you got hit by his Semblance in the end."

"His Semblance?" Cassian looked at the wound. No blood flowed from the cut. Instead, the skin around the spear had turned blue.

"Yes." Ferris stepped in front of Cassian. He had removed his mask again, revealing his red eyes and silver hair. With deft hands, he gently grasped the spear in Cassian's chest. "It's similar to Winter's semblance actually."

"What do you-OW!" Cassian gasped as Ferris pulled Echekalt out from his chest. Immediately, blood began to pour out from the wound. "That hurt!"

"Oh don't be a baby. That's nothing compared to this." Ferris suddenly stabbed his finger directly into Cassian's wound, increasing the pain tenfold and nearly knocking Cassian out. "Now give me a minute~"

Cassian could feel something unravel in his chest, knitting his wounds and stemming the blood flow. At the same time, he could feel a warm aura remove more of the cold, until only a small amount remained.

"Aaaand, done~!" Ferris pulled his finger out of Cassian's wound, before jerking it a bit to seal the wound up completely. "Now, isn't that better?"

Cassian touched his wound, now nothing more than a perfectly done stitch. "Wow, this is pretty impressive."

"Thanks." Ferris grinned. "Back in the day, it was always Fenris who fought against everything and anything. I basically had a support role, so I got really good at patching up wounds."

"Really? She didn't let you fight at all?"

"Pretty much. She's surprisingly overprotective." Ferris sighed, a happy look in his eyes. "Though, more importantly, what are you planning to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well Reim's dead." Schokolade jabbed a finger at the Schnee patriarch's corpse. "So in theory you can marry Winter with no real issue."

"In theory." Cassian stretched his arms, realising just how tired he was. Looking around, he realised that the hospital was located in the middle of a forest. In the distance, the beginning of the sunrises were just barely visible. "But now I'm a wanted criminal, am I not?"

"You're assuming they'll know that you killed him. I mean, I'm literally the only person here."

"And how many people know that Reim Schnee was here?"

"Point taken."

"How long until I have Pale Horse and the Atlas Military black operations teams on my trail?"

"I could buy you two days at most." Ferris watched as Cassian stared at the sunrise. "You aren't planning to disappear are you? It's almost Christmas."

"What else can I do?"

"Um...go back to her?"

"I don't want to force her to choose between her family and me. The choice would kill her."

"No, I don't think it would actually."

"How would you know?"

"Gut instinct?"

"I truly want to believe you." Cassian said bitterly. "But I can't. I can't risk dragging Winter into this. Since she thinks I'm dead already and I probably will be dead within the week, there isn't really any point in seeing her."

"There's always a point in seeing your loved ones."

"Says the man who didn't show himself to his sister in over a decade." Ferris flinched, eliciting a feeling of guilt in Cassian. "Sorry, that was rude."

"You're not wrong." Ferris admitted. "But that was due to my cowardice. If I could do it again, I'd definitely do it differently, damn the consequences."

"So you're saying that I should learn from your mistakes?"

"I thought that was fairly obvious."

"I-"

"You know, if she comes with you back there, I could keep you guys safe…?"

Cassian looked up at Ferris, who gave him a gentle smile. And just like that, hope returned to Cassian. "Are you serious?"

"Very much so. I mean, to say that it would be a political shitstorm if we did anything _there_ would be putting it gently. Plus, with your sister's influence, you'll be even more protected. So so long as you two stay on that island, you'll be safe. I'll get involved myself if it comes to it."

"I-I." Cassian placed his hand over his eyes, but Ferris could see the tears streaming down his face. "-thank you."

"Anytime." Ferris replied, smiling as he watched Cassian Gray break down in tears. "Anytime."

* * *

 **And now we know why Schokolade was always helping Cassian! We're coming up to the end of the story soon as well!**

 **Comment what you think!  
**

 **Ferris**


	22. Love

Winter stepped off the airship. She wasn't sure why she was here, but something had compelled her to come to this island.

Well that, and the fact that _someone_ had prepared an entire trip for her without her knowledge, including packing her bags.

Not that Winter minded. After all, this town, Hestia, was Cassian's home. Normally, a Schnee entering the island where Hestia was located would be suicidal, but Cassian's sister had apparently pulled some strings to make sure that Winter would remain unmolested. It was a necessary step.

Winter was on Menagerie after all.

"Winter Schnee." Canna Gray, Cassian's elder sister, greeted the Schnee. She had dark brown hair with blonde streaks in it, hazel eyes and a figure that rivaled Winters. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"The pleasure is mine." Winter mumbled, her eyes taking in her surroundings. It was Christmas Eve, and the small port town was coated in snow. The airship port was at the centre of the town, with rows of houses and villas circling around the town centre. To her right, Winter could see the beach, already covered in snow. This was where her lover had grown up. Canna, noticing Winter's eyes, patiently waited for Winter to finish. "It's...so peaceful here." Winter finally said.

"Yes. Hestia is famous for being a place of rest and relaxation." Canna motioned for Winter to follow her. Taking a deep breath, Winter followed after her. "The citizens of this town value peace above all. It's a very close-knit community, where everyone knows everyone."

"It sounds like a place that...Cassian loved." Winter had to force herself to say Cassian's name. It was hard, but she was capable of doing it now.

"It is." Canna said simply. "Cassian loved coming here in the winter for Ignis' Christmas Party. It's a tradition."

"That sounds wonderful."

"You're invited as well you know." Canna stopped at the car, before opening the shotgun seat and waiting for Winter to enter.

Winter stepped into the car, wondering if she should refuse the invitation. After a moment of deliberation however, she decided to go. If Cassian loved it, Winter wanted to see why. It would help her know more about her love. "That would be...nice."

"Perfect." Canna slid into the driver's seat, before starting the car up. "You'll be staying at my place, which is about ten minutes away from Ignis' by foot. I hope you don't mind the little ones. They tend to get a little crazy around new people."

Winter subconsciously moved her hand to her belly. She remembered Cassian saying how he'd love a child. The thought brought tears to her eyes.

Canna, noticing that, remained silent for the rest of the journey. Upon arrival to the house, Canna and Winter both exited the house.

"Cassian grew up here." Canna said. "Admittedly, we did have a few extensions and renovations since he left…"

Winter looked the house up and down.

The Gray house was big, perhaps three stories with an additional garage. Large windows dotted the building, exposing the inhabitants to large amounts of natural sunlight. A roof garden was visible from Winter's perspective, green leaves and feelers wrapping around the top part of the house.

"Luckily the kids are already at Ignis', so you don't have to worry about them just yet. Your bags are already in your room." Canna walked up to the door and unlocked it. "If you need anything, just tell me-"

"Can...I see Cassian's room?" Canna blinked, before giving Winter a warm smile.

"Of course you can." Canna motioned for Winter to follow her into the house and up two flights of stairs, before stopping at a single door. "Here it is. It's a bit dusty, since he hasn't been back in a while."

Winter traced her hand over the door, smiling slightly at the carved words in the wood. They were haphazardly done, no doubt carved when Cassian was a child.

 _Cassian's room. Do not enter without permission._

"I'll leave you alone then. We'll leave in about an hour alright?" With that, Canna disappeared down the hallway, leaving Winter alone.

Winter gripped the doorknob and twisted, before pushing the door open.

The door opened with a creak, revealing a small but cosy room. Stepping inside, Winter was immediately assaulted by the sheer _Cassian-ness_ of the room.

Books of all genres and subjects were stacked all over the place, alongside toy and training weapons. Cassian's bed, designed for a single person, had two pillows and blankets. The walls were covered in maps and diagrams and drawings and newspaper clippings.

Winter walked over to one of the walls. With a start, she realised that the things tacked onto the wall were from Cassian's childhood, specifically before he became her bodyguard. Doodles of Grimm and potential weapons took over most of the wall, with some clippings dating back over a decade ago. Checking the newspapers, Winter noted that many of them related to heroic Hunters and Huntresses.

"He already knew what he wanted to do back then hmm?" Winter turned to the next wall, which was infinitely more neater than the previous one. It also contained less items, no doubt because Cassian no longer stayed in this room. The insight into Cassian's life however, was still immense.

"Oh?" Winter realised that many of the clippings related to her family, specifically her. "How cute."

Looking closer, Winter realised that Cassian had scribbled notes onto many of the clippings. While the ink had faded over time, some phrases were still decipherable.

 _I'm really nervous. Winter Schnee seems super-cool and I don't want to make a bad impression. Better ask Canna for help._

 _Wow, she's already participating in tournaments?! Why would she need me to be her bodyguard?! She seems really strong!_

 _Man, these newspapers are so wrong. Winter is so much nicer than what these photos make her out to be._

"Cass…" Even back then, Cassian had seen right through her. "I miss you so much."

Winter sat down on Cassian's bed, noting how clean the sheets were. Apparently Canna, despite what she may say, made sure that Cassian's room remained clean even in his absence.

Lying on the bed, Winter realised with a start that Cassian's ceiling was also covered in stuff. Pieces of parchment, fragments of paper targets with bullet holes in them, banners with his previous school's name printed on it. Winter felt like she was absorbing everything and anything about Cassian simply by being in his room.

Before she knew it, there was a knock on the door.

"Ms. Schnee, are you ready to go?"

Glancing at her scroll, Winter realised that it had already been an hour. She wanted to keep lying in Cassian's bed, but some semblance of common courtesy made her stand up and walk to the door. Giving her clothes a quick brushing, Winter opened the door.

"I'm ready." Winter said, noting the strength in her voice. Even now, Cassian was making her strong. Canna was silent for a moment, her eyes looking Winter up and down.

"You look better." Canna commented, before twirling on her heels and walking towards the front door.

* * *

Winter had to admit, she was enjoying herself at the party. Ignis' house was the same size as the Gray's, but had fewer and larger rooms. Winter was currently seated in the sitting room, a mug of hot eggnog in her hand. Around her, small children, both human and Faunus, ran around playing. In the centre of the room was a massive Christmas tree with numerous presents of various sizes.

"It's nice isn't it?" Canna suddenly appeared next to Winter, holding a mug of hot cocoa. "Ignis cooks a massive feast each year and invites all the children to spend the night at her house."

"It...is." Winter thought back to her own christmas' in the Schnee household. They had been formal and impersonal, another facade to make them appear like a family. "Cassian really loved the holiday."

It had been her first Christmas with Cassian that had made her truly appreciate the day.

" _It's nearly Christmas." Cassian said suddenly. The two of them were eating in one of Winter's many apartments. They had graduated from the Academy a few months previous, and were currently travelling as part of Winter's work._

" _Oh, it is isn't it?" Winter said, not sounding very interested._

" _Do you not like Christmas mistress?" Cassian popped a piece of grilled chicken into his mouth._

" _I'm indifferent." Winter replied, sipping from her water glass._

" _That's no good mistress!" Cassian's eyes seemed to sparkle, which was unnerving to say the least. "Christmas is a super important holiday!"_

" _For capitalism yes."_

" _Where's your Christmas spirit!?"_

" _Never had any." Winter placed her glass on the table. "Now then-"_

" _Alright I've decided." Cassian placed his hands on the table. "I will make this the best Christmas ever!"_

"It really was the best Christmas ever." Winter fiddled with her mug. "We drank eggnog and sang carols and decorated the tree…" Winter trailed off upon hearing Canna's chuckling.

"That sounds very much like something my younger brother would do." Canna sipped her hot cocoa. "He was always rather bad with basic social conventions such as treating his superiors correctly."

"I didn't mind." Winter said quickly. Canna, noticing Winter's defensiveness, laughed.

"Of course you didn't. He's your lover after all."

"Was." Winter corrected, feeling a sharp pain her chest as she said those words.

"Mmmm…" Canna trailed off as one of her children ran up to the two of them. "Flan, are you having a good time?"

"Yes!" Flan Habringer, Canna's son, nodded his head and grinned. He had custard-colored hair with small gray streaks and a slightly chubby build. "Ms. Winter, uncle told me to give you this!"

"Uncle?" Winter took the envelope from Flan, who quickly disappeared back into the fray. Turning to Canna, Winter intended to ask her a question, only to find that the woman had disappeared.

Left alone, and with nothing better to do, Winter opened the envelope.

 _Come outside._

Winter blinked. Two words, perfectly hand-written. No name, nothing to indicate who the writer was. Yet Winter could feel something rising in her.

It should have been impossible, but Winter only knew one person who had this specific handwriting and used gray ink.

Plus, Flan had called the sender _uncle_.

Jumping to her feet, her energy fully restored, Winter rushed towards the door.

* * *

Winter stumbled onto the front porch, nearly breaking the door down in her rush to exit the house.

Upon reaching the exit of the house, Winter stopped to catch her breath. Looking up, she felt her heart freeze.

At some point during the party, it had begun to snow. Now, the ground of Hestia was covered in a beautiful layer of white, with more snow flakes falling down gently from the sky.

It was the solitary figure standing on the pavement outside Ignis' house however, the had caused Winter to freeze.

Gray hair.

Brown eyes.

A smile on his face.

"Hey Winter." Cassian Gray raised his hand in greeting. "I guess I kept my promise in the end, didn't I?"

* * *

Cassian stumbled backwards as Winter literally jumped onto him. The combined weight and momentum of the Schnee sent him falling back into the snow.

"Woah!" Cassian laughed, the back of his head getting covered in snow. "Careful there!"

"Y-you're alive!" Winter cried, mashing her face into his chest. "You're really alive!"

"Miraculously, yes." Cassian patted Winter on the head, smiling as he felt her sob against his torso. "A couple of things happened and-"

"Stop." Winter cut Cassian off. "I have a feeling you're about to tell me something bad."

"It's important-"

"Right now-" Winter interrupted Cassian once more, looking him in the eye. With a start, Cassian noticed the bags under her eyes and her bloodshot pupils. "-the only thing I care about is that you're alive."

"I-" Cassian looked at Winter, before sighing. "-I'm sorry."

"Mmmm." Winter placed her head back in his chest. "My Cassian, my Cassian."

"Yeah, I'm yours." Cassian whispered, rubbing Winter's head. "I'm all yours."

Winter suddenly grabbed the back of Cassian's head and mashed her lips against his.

The two lovers kissed on the snow-covered ground, as snowflakes fell around them. After what seemed like an age, the two finally separated.

There were many things Cassian wanted to say.

The fact her father was dead.

Who Schokolade really was.

How much he regretted that pain that he had put her through.

The fact that he would likely have a bounty put on his head.

But it was Christmas. So Cassian Gray said only three words, words which summed up the most important thing to him in that moment.

"I'm back, Winter."

Winter, upon hearing those words, gave Cassian a smile that transcended human limitations. It was the smile of pure, unadulterated joy. In those two months, it was those three words that Winter had longed to hear the most.

And now that she had heard them, she could say the three words that she had wanted to say in return. Placing her mouth next to Cassian's ear, Winter whispered those words while tears ran down her cheek.

"Welcome home, Cassian."

 _End_

* * *

 **Thank you my readers for sticking with this very messy story until the end! I originally thought of many other potentially endings, but decided to stick with this. Simplicity at its best.**

 **Yes, this ending is referencing something, so if you can guess it, comment or PM me!**

 **Once again, thank you so much for reading this story, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!**

 **Ferris**


	23. Epilogue: Birth

_Epilogue_

 _One week later._

Cassian Gray sipped his morning coffee. In his right hand, he held his tablet scroll. He was currently scrolling through the news, trying to see if a bounty had been put on his head.

Reim's death had been announced two days after Cassian's return to Hestia. Interestingly enough, the article had provided very few details on the nature of his death, simply stating that it had been _sudden_ and _painless_.

It was then that he heard a scream come from the bathroom. Before Cassian could jump up, Winter came rushing in, dressed in nothing but her nightgown.

"C-Cass!" Winter shouted, waving her hands in the air. Cassian could see she was holding something. "I-I-"

"Woah, woah slow down." Cassian said, enjoying the sight of his flustered lover. "I can't understand you when you stutter like that!"

"J-just look!" Winter held the object out, allowing Cassian to see that it was a...stick.

"It's a stick…" Cassian trailed off, realising exactly what the said _stick_ was. "Wait, is that what I-"

"Y-yes." Winter nodded, her eyes watching Cassian like a hawk.

With slightly shaking hands, Cassian took the _stick_ from Winter and looked over it. He noted the plus sign at the far end of the stick.

"W-w-well." Winter stuttered. "W-what do you-?"

"Think?" Cassian looked at Winter, who looked as if she wanted to hide away in a hole somewhere. It would have been endearing, had it not been for the gravity of their current situation. "What do you think I think?"

"I-I-" Winter sniffled. "I-I-"

"I'm happy." Cassian said simply, a wide smile appearing on his face. "How about you-?!"

Winter leaped into Cassian's arms (something she seemed to do on a fairly regular basis, now that Cassian thought about it). "Of course I'm happy you dummy!"

"Then why did you look so scared?"

"B-because I didn't know if you wanted-!"

"A child?" Cassian patted Winter's head. "Of course I'd want a child with you. Didn't I tell you before? _I'd be the happiest man in the world_."

Winter gave Cassian a kiss, which Cassian happily returned. Placing his hand on Winter's belly, Cassian gave her a smile.

"So how long until the child is born?"

"Child?" Winter gave Cassian a confused look. "You mean children, right?"

"What do you mean..." Cassian's eyes widened in comprehension. "You're having-"

"-twins!" Winter said happily.

It was soon to get very noisy in the Gray Household.

* * *

 _A couple of months later..._

"I hate you Cassian Gray!" Winter yelled, her face and voice indicating the extreme pain she was currently feeling. "I hate you with every fibre of my being!"

Whatever else she wanted to say was cut off by a groan as her womb let out another spasm.

"Is this...normal?" Cassian turned to one of the numerous nurses that surrounded his wife. He was seated directly next to Winter's bed, his hand held in hers in an attempt to give her any consolation.

"Yes." One of the nurses, a Ram faunus, answered while checking a chart. "Childbirth is considered to be one of the most painful things that a woman can go through. And that's not counting the fact that Ms. Gray here has two babies at the same time."

"Oh, ok…" Cassian turned his attention to Winter, who was currently drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

"No more sex!" Winter suddenly gasped as her womb's movements sent another bolt of pain running through her body. "You hear me!? The hot dog is no longer allowed in the bun-"

Another shriek of pain, this one enough to cause most of the Faunus in the room to wince. They had enhanced hearing after all.

"Don't worry, most of us say this during the childbirth." The ram faunus said, trying to console Cassian. "We generally don't mean it."

"OK…" Cassian wasn't worried about his bedroom privileges at the moment, instead more focused on his lover who was currently experiencing intense agony. "Is there anyway for me to make her feel better?"

"Try reminiscing with her. It'll help distract her from the pain."

"Alright, I'll do that." Cassian winced as Winter nearly crushed his hand with her enhanced strength as another spasm hit her. He didn't illustrate his pain however, instead giving Winter a soft smile. "Winter, do you remember our first kiss? We-"

* * *

 _A very agonising hour and a half later, filled with pain, memories and laughter._

"Here you go." Canna handed Winter two crying babies. "A very healthy boy and girl!"

Winter didn't say a word, instead choosing to stare at her two children.

 _No._ Winter thought to herself, looking at Cassian who was seated next to her. _Our two children._

"They're...beautiful." Cassian murmured, transfixed by the crying forms of his children. Suddenly, he sniffled, placing his hand over his eyes as his body began to shake.

"Are you crying?" Winter laughed, even as tears ran down from her own eyes. "You never cry Cassian!"

"I-I'm just so happy." Cassian said, even as streams appeared on his cheeks. "I-I never thought-"

"Come here." Winter commanded, shifting over a bit to make room. "Lie here with me."

Cassian, after looking to the head doctor (aka his sister) for approval, slid into the bed with Winter.

"Here, take one." Winter handed one of the children to Cassian, who took it with shaking arms. "Say hello to Daddy Claire!"

Cassian looked at his daughter, who was staring directly into his eyes. Suddenly, Claire reached up and touched Cassian's nose, before letting out a burp.

"Hello Claire."

Cassian said, smiling at one of his tiny bundles of joy.

"Welcome to the family."

* * *

 **Thank you very much~**

 **Ferris**


	24. SEQUEL?

**Hello readers. Ferris here.**

 **I'd just like to announce that there is a sequel to Schnee Love! This one occurs about three years after the end of Schnee Love, when Claire and Wave Gray are three years old, and Team RWBY is approaching their graduation from Beacon!**

 **The setting for the story is...well it focuses more on Weiss then Schnee Love did. Cassian and Winter will appear, but they won't be having some dramatic storyline shoved on them. They've played their part, so I'll let them enjoy their days of peace and love together.**

 **Weiss however, still has a mountain of challenges in front of her, including romantic ones. Her ship has been decided, but whether its another OC or an existing character...well that's for you to find out!**

 **I promise it won't be like Schnee Love in the sense that I'll kill that person off and then bring that person back.**

 **This sequel is a lot more focused on emotions and the like, with less focus on action and so forth.**

 **We will get flashbacks to what happened during the three year time skip, specifically focusing on the backlash of what happened three years ago.**

 **Please enjoy the sequel when it comes out in the next 24 hours or so! (Assuming nothing goes wrong)**

 **Ferris**

 **PS The sequel will be called "Lost Snow", for reasons I will not reveal at the moment.**


	25. Lost Snow Chapter 1 is up!

**Annnnnnd...it's up! Lost Snow chapter 1 has been released!**


End file.
